韦编三绝

lit. the leather binding (of the bamboo scroll) has broken three times / fig. to study diligently

surname Wei

soft leather

to weave / to plait / to organize / to group / to arrange / to edit / to compile / to write / to compose / to fabricate / to make up

three / 3

to cut short / extinct / to disappear / to vanish / absolutely / by no means

variant of 絕|绝[jue2]