功亏一篑(功虧一簣)
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.
Also searched as: gong kui yi kui, gong kui yi kui,功亏一篑 meaning, 功亏一篑 in english
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.
When to Use
Situation: The project collapsed due to a small oversight in the final stage
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Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
攻无不克
gōng wú bù kè
Win every battle; never fail in attacks
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千里迢迢
qiān lǐ tiáo tiáo
Travel a great distance
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民富国强
mín fù guó qiáng
Prosperous people and powerful nation
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国泰民安
guó tài mín ān
National peace and public security
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太平盛世
tài píng shèng shì
Golden age of peace and prosperity
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四海升平
sì hǎi shēng píng
Peace everywhere; universal harmony
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安土重迁
ān tǔ zhòng qiān
Prefer stability; reluctant to relocate
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故土难离
gù tǔ nán lí
Hard to leave one's homeland
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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 theLife Philosophy category..
When is 功亏一篑 used?
Situation: The project collapsed due to a small oversight in the final stage
What is the pinyin for 功亏一篑?
The pinyin pronunciation for 功亏一篑 is “gōng kuī yī kuì”.
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