一无所获 (yī mó) — to end up with nothing; to come away empty-handed (after effort)

Definition

Literally 'not obtain a single thing': you put in effort but came away empty-handed. The phrase 收获 shōuhuò is its positive counterpart (收获 = gain, harvest of effort).

idiom
to end up with nothingto come away empty-handed (after effort)

Examples

  • 一无所获
    Tā zhǎo le yì zhěng tiān de gōng zuò, zuì hòu hái shì yī mó.
    He spent all day looking for a job, but ended up with nothing.
  • 一无所获
    Zhè cì tóu zī shī bài le, wǒ men jī hū yī mó.
    This investment failed, and we ended up with almost nothing.
  • 一无所获
    Jǐng fāng sōu chá le bàn tiān, què yī mó.
    The police searched for half a day, but found nothing.

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