gōng kuī yī kuì

Traditional: 功虧一簣

功亏一篑 (gōng kuī yī kuì) is a Chinese word meaning “lit. to ruin the enterprise for the sake of one basketful; to fail through lack of a final effort; to spoil the ship for a ha'penny worth of tar (idiom)”.

Meanings

  1. 1lit. to ruin the enterprise for the sake of one basketful
  2. 2to fail through lack of a final effort
  3. 3to spoil the ship for a ha'penny worth of tar (idiom)

Characters in 功亏一篑

功gōng · meritorious deed or service亏kuī · to lose (money); to have a deficit一yī · one篑kuì · basket for carrying soil

Related words

一one一个a; an; one一起(in) the same place一样same一下(after a verb) a bit; a little (indicating brief duration, or softening the tone, or suggesting giving sth a try)一直straight (in a straight line)一切everything一点a bit; a little bit一定surely; certainly; definitely第一first一些some; a few; a little; (following an adjective) slightly ...er唯一only; sole

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