未果 (wèi guǒ) — to be unsuccessful; to fail to materialize

Definition

A formal/literary verb-object phrase meaning 'to not bear fruit / fail to reach a result.' Typically follows another verb (e.g. 谈判未果, 调查未果) to say an attempt ended without resolution.

verb
to be unsuccessfulto fail to materialize

Examples

  • 未果，。
    Tán pàn wèi guǒ, shuāng fāng jué dìng xià cì zài tán.
    The negotiation was unsuccessful; both sides decided to talk again next time.
  • 未果，。
    Tā duō cì cháng shì wèi guǒ, zuì hòu fàng qì le.
    He tried many times without success and finally gave up.
  • 未果，。
    Diào chá wèi guǒ, àn jiàn réng zài jìn xíng zhōng.
    The investigation yielded no results; the case is still ongoing.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

未wèinot yet
果guǒcome to fruition

未 means not yet, 果 means come to fruition, so the result does not occur.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape 未 shows a tree with extra branches spreading above its trunk, like lush, overlapping limbs.

Open 未 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

果 originally drew fruits hanging on a tree.

Open 果 →

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