鸡飞蛋打

Pronunciation: jī fēi dàn dǎ Literal meaning: Chicken flies away and eggs broken

Origin & Usage

This vivid idiom depicts the scene of trying to catch a chicken and accidentally breaking its eggs in the process - losing both the bird and its potential offspring. It emerged from rural Chinese life where chickens represented valuable assets. The phrase captures the frustration of a double loss, particularly when greed or poor judgment causes one to lose everything. Modern usage describes situations where attempting to gain something results in losing what one already had, emphasizing the danger of overreaching.

Examples

English: "His reckless investment left him with nothing - the chicken flew and the eggs broke."

Chinese: 他冒险的投资让他鸡飞蛋打，一无所有。