慘淡經營

惨淡经营
cǎndànjīngyíng
to manage by painstaking effort (idiom)

CEDICT

Entry Composition

1 慘淡 cǎndàn
  1. dark
  2. gloomy
  3. dismal
  4. by painstaking effort
2 經營 jīngyíng to engage in (business etc); to run; to operate