Hanzi Now
CharactersIdiomsChinese NameFlashcards
Tools

Visual content

  • Chinese Text Image GeneratorCreate PNGs with pinyin, highlight character parts or remove strokes
  • Stroke Order AnimatorTurn a Chinese character or sentence into a GIF or MP4
  • Character Highlight AnimatorChoose character parts and animate their colors, together or in stroke order
  • Chinese Text Morph AnimatorTurn one Chinese character, word or phrase into another; download SVG, MP4 or WebM

Audio content

  • Chinese Text to SpeechRead Chinese aloud with karaoke highlighting

Teaching materials

  • Writing WorksheetsPrintable tracing sheets with a QR learning companion
  • Bingo CardsPicture and word Bingo for your class
  • Picture WorksheetsChinese and English fill-in vocabulary worksheets

Other

  • Pinyin GeneratorConvert Chinese text to pinyin with tone marks
  • Chinese Zodiac CalculatorFind your animal sign from your birth date and make a zodiac card.
  • Chinese Word CounterCount characters, words and sentences in Chinese text
View all tools →
成事不足,坏事有余
成事不足,坏事有余
成事不足,坏事有余
成事不足,坏事有余
成事不足,坏事有余
成事不足,坏事有余
成事不足,坏事有余
成事不足,坏事有余
成事不足,坏事有余

成事不足,坏事有余 — “Unable to accomplish anything, only capable of making things worse”

成事不足,坏事有余 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “Unable to accomplish anything, only capable of making things worse”. More apt to spoil things than to succeed. Literally, “insufficient for success, more than enough for ruin”.

Frequency

成事不足,坏事有余 Pronunciation and Pinyin

成事不足,坏事有余 Character Breakdown

CharacterPinyinStrokesMeaning
成
chéng7to become or succeed
事
shì8matter, event, or undertaking
不
bù4not
足
zú7foot, sufficient, full
,,—
坏
huài7bad, evil, naughty
事
shì8matter, event, or undertaking
有
yǒu6to have or to exist
余
yú7I, me, remaining, after

Example Sentence with 成事不足,坏事有余

他这个人总是成事不足,坏事有余,让他帮忙只会添乱。
He's always more likely to spoil things than to achieve anything; asking for his help will only make matters worse.

Idioms Related to 成事不足,坏事有余

Synonyms of 成事不足,坏事有余

  • chéng成shì事bù不zú足,,bài败shì事yǒu有yú余more likely to spoil than succeed

More idioms starting with 成

  • chéng成yī一jiā家yán言form one's own school of thought
  • chéng成yě也xiāo萧hé何bài败xiāo萧hé何success and failure from the same source
  • chéng成yě也xiāo萧hé何,,bài败yě也xiāo萧hé何success and failure due to the same person
  • chéng成shì事bù不shuō说Do not comment on what is done
  • chéng成rén人bù不zì自zai在,,zì自zai在bù不chéng成rén人No pain, no gain
  • chéng成rén人zhī之shàn善help others achieve good
  • chéng成rén人zhī之měi美Help others achieve their goals
  • chéng成rén仁qǔ取yì义sacrifice life for righteousness
  • chéng成hé何tǐ体tǒng统How improper! What an outrage!
  • chéng成fó佛zuò作zǔ祖achieve outstanding accomplishments
  • chéng成zé则wèi为wáng王,,bài败zé则wèi为kòu寇Success makes a king, failure a bandit

Recommended tools

Stroke Order Animator

Turn a Chinese character or sentence into a GIF or MP4

Open the tool →

Chinese Text Image Generator

Create PNGs with pinyin, highlight character parts or remove strokes

Open the tool →

Writing Worksheets

Printable tracing sheets with a QR learning companion

Open the tool →

Bingo Cards

Picture and word Bingo for your class

Open the tool →

Questions about 成事不足,坏事有余

What does 成事不足,坏事有余 mean?

成事不足,坏事有余 (chéng shì bù zú , huài shì yǒu yú) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “Unable to accomplish anything, only capable of making things worse”.

How do you pronounce 成事不足,坏事有余?

成事不足,坏事有余 is pronounced chéng shì bù zú , huài shì yǒu yú in Mandarin Chinese.

What does 成事不足,坏事有余 literally mean?

Literally, 成事不足,坏事有余 means “insufficient for success, more than enough for ruin”. It is used to mean “Unable to accomplish anything, only capable of making things worse”.

What is the Chinese definition of 成事不足,坏事有余?

成:成就;足:足够。指事情不但办不好,反而把事情弄坏。用于指责办事拙劣或故意不让事情办成的人

Hanzi Now

Explore the charm of Chinese language

Explore

  • Characters
  • Idioms
  • Chinese Names
  • Flashcards

Tools

  • Chinese Text Image Generator
  • Stroke Order Animator
  • Character Highlight Animator
  • Bingo Cards
  • Picture Worksheets
  • All Tools

More

  • Blog
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
© 2026 Hanzi NowContact Us