功亏一篑
功亏一篑 (gōng kuī yī kuì) literally means “work fails one basket” and expresses “fail due to giving up near the end”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy. It originates from ancient Chinese literature and remains commonly used in modern Mandarin.
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Fail due to giving up near the end
Pronunciation: gōng kuī yī kuì
Literal meaning: Work fails one basket
Origin & Usage
The ancient Chinese text 'Hanfeizi' tells of a man who stopped hauling earth (功) one basket (篑) short of completing his mountain, teaching how projects can fail at the very end. Song Dynasty scholars used this story to warn against relaxing effort prematurely. The specific image of a single basket making the difference between success and failure powerfully illustrates how small lapses can undo great efforts.
Examples
English: "The project collapsed due to a small oversight in the final stage"
Chinese: 这个项目因最后阶段的一个小疏忽而失败
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Related Chinese Idioms
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 功亏一篑 mean in English?
功亏一篑 (gōng kuī yī kuì) literally translates to “Work fails one basket” and is used to express “Fail due to giving up near the end”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 功亏一篑 used?
Situation: This idiom applies when describing situations involving fail due to giving up near the end.
What is the pinyin for 功亏一篑?
The pinyin pronunciation for 功亏一篑 is “gōng kuī yī kuì”.