工夫

huā hǎo dà gōng fu

花好大工夫

put in a lot of work

rú guǒ yào fǎn gōng gōng fu kě jiù dà le

如果要返工，工夫可就大了。

It will take a lot of effort to redo it.

yòng gōng fu

用工夫

make an effort

méi gōng fu dú shū

没工夫读书

have no time to spare for reading

rú yǒu gōng fu qǐng gěi wǒ xiě xìn

如有工夫请给我写信。

Write to me when time permits.

nǐ yǐ hòu yǒu gōng fu zài lái

你以后有工夫再来。

Please come round again when you have free time.

gāng jiě fàng nà huì r gōng fu

刚解放那会儿工夫

immediately after the liberation

wǒ nián qīng nà huì r gōng fu

我年轻那会儿工夫

in my youth

wǒ dāng guī nü nà huì r gōng fu

我当闺女那会儿工夫

when I was a young girl

liàn gōng fu

练工夫

practise

zhè ge zá jì yǎn yuán kě zhēn yǒu gōng fu

这个杂技演员可真有工夫！

The acrobat's skill is really superb!