满盘皆输 (mǎn pán jiē shū) — one false move can lose the whole game; a single mistake leads to total failure

Definition

Literally 'the whole board is lost' — from chess, meaning one careless move loses the entire game. Used to warn that a single mistake in any high-stakes situation can ruin everything.

idiom
one false move can lose the whole gamea single mistake leads to total failure

Examples

  • ，满盘皆输。
    Zhè cì tóu zī yí bù zǒu cuò, jiù mǎn pán jiē shū le.
    One misstep in this investment, and the whole thing is lost.
  • ，满盘皆输。
    Xià qí shí qiān wàn yào xiǎo xīn, fǒu zé yī zhe bú shèn mǎn pán jiē shū.
    When playing chess, you must be very careful, or one careless move will lose the entire game.
  • ，满盘皆输。
    Tán pàn zhōng rèn hé yí gè xì jié dōu bù néng hū shì, bù rán kě néng mǎn pán jiē shū.
    In negotiations, you can't overlook any detail, or you risk losing everything.

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.

满盘whole board
满mǎnfull盘pánboard
偏正Modifier + head
皆输all lose
皆jiēall输shūlose
偏正Modifier + head

When 满 and 盘 describe the whole board, 皆 and 输 say every part is lost.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 滿; 满 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
㒼
㒼㒼滿mǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 滿 pairs 水, showing water, with 㒼, giving the sound. The simplified 满 is a later shorthand, not the original shape.

Open 满 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 盤; 盘 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
皿皿mǐn
Sound part声符shēngfú
般
般bān盤pán
Same sound today

The traditional form 盤 pairs 般, which gives the sound, with 皿, a vessel. This note is about 盤, not the simplified 盘.

Open 盘 →

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
虍虍hū
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
几
几jǐ皆jiē
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The early form 皆 used 虍 and 口 to show meaning and 几 to show sound.

Open 皆 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 輸; 输 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jū
Sound part声符shēngfú
俞
俞yú輸shū
Same sound today

The traditional form 輸 pairs 車 (vehicle) with 俞 for sound; 車 shows the meaning.

Open 输 →

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