功虧一簣

See also: 功亏一篑

Chinese

		merit; achievement; result merit; achievement; result; service; accomplishment	deficiency; deficit	one; single; a one; single; a; (before verbs) as soon as, once; (before a noun) entire (family, etc.)	basket for carrying soil
trad. (功虧一簣)		功	虧	一	簣
simp. (功亏一篑)		功	亏	一	篑
Literally: “one basket (of dirt) short of success”.

Etymology

From the longer phrase (first part is usually omitted): 為山九仞，功虧一簣

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): gōngkuīyīkuì

(Zhuyin): ㄍㄨㄥㄎㄨㄟㄧㄎㄨㄟˋ
Cantonese (Jyutping): gung¹ kwai¹ jat¹ gwai⁶

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Pinyin: gōngkuīyīkuì [Phonetic: gōngkuīyíkuì]
  - Zhuyin: ㄍㄨㄥㄎㄨㄟㄧㄎㄨㄟˋ
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: gongkueiikuey
  - IPA ^(key): /kʊŋ⁵⁵ kʰu̯eɪ̯⁵⁵ i⁵⁵⁻³⁵ kʰu̯eɪ̯⁵¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: gung¹ kwai¹ jat¹ gwai⁶
  - Yale: gūng kwāi yāt gwaih
  - Cantonese Pinyin: gung¹ kwai¹ jat⁷ gwai⁶
  - Guangdong Romanization: gung¹ kuei¹ yed¹ guei⁶
  - IPA ^(key): /kʊŋ⁵⁵ kʷʰɐi̯⁵⁵ jɐt̚⁵ kʷɐi̯²²/

Idiom

功虧一簣

close but no cigar

Related terms

功敗垂成／功败垂成
半途而廢／半途而废 (bàntú'érfèi)
前功盡棄／前功尽弃 (qiángōngjìnqì)

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