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前功尽弃 (qián gōng jìn qì) — all previous efforts are wasted; all the work done so far comes to nothing

Definition

Idiom meaning all earlier effort is wasted by a single failure at the end. Implies a hard-won result thrown away, not just a small setback.

idiom
all previous efforts are wastedall the work done so far comes to nothing

Examples

  • ，，前功尽弃。
    Tā zhǔn bèi le sān gè yuè, dàn yīn wèi shēng bìng cuò guò le kǎo shì, zhēn shì qián gōng jìn qì.
    He prepared for three months, but because he got sick and missed the exam, all his previous work was wasted.
  • ，前功尽弃。
    Xiàng mù jìn xíng dào zuì hòu yí kè, què yīn wèi zī jīn wèn tí qián gōng jìn qì le.
    The project went right up to the last moment, but because of funding issues, all the earlier work came to nothing.
  • ，。
    Rú guǒ xiàn zài fàng qì, zhī qián de nǔ lì jiù huì qián gōng jìn qì.
    If we give up now, all the hard work we've put in so far will be wasted.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

前功previous work
前qiánprevious功gōngwork
偏正Modifier + head
尽弃entirely discard
尽jìnentirely弃qìdiscard
偏正Modifier + head

前功 means previous work, while 尽弃 says it is wholly abandoned.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

In the older form of 前, 止 (foot) and 舟 (boat) showed a foot on a boat moving forward; in the current 前 those parts are shortened.

Open 前 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
工
工gōng功gōng
Same sound today

功 puts 力 (strength) beside 工, which gives the sound gōng and means labour or work.

Open 功 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 盡; 尽 is its simplified writing.

  • 聿聿yùhand holding a brush
  • 灬灬huǒbristles
  • 皿皿mǐndish

The traditional form 盡 shows 聿 (hand holding a brush) and 灬 (bristles) over 皿 (dish), cleaning a dish until it is empty. The simplified 尽 is a shorthand, not those historical parts.

Open 尽 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 棄; 弃 is its simplified writing.

  • 子子zǐchild
  • 𠀠𠀠𠀠basket
  • 廾廾gǒngtwo hands

The traditional form 棄, not the simplified 弃, shows 子 (child), 𠀠 (basket), and 廾 (two hands), as a picture of throwing out a child in a basket.

Open 弃 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set PhrasesSuccess & Failure

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