前功尽弃 — “To waste all previous efforts”
前功尽弃 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to waste all previous efforts”. To lose all one's past achievements or gains; to have all one's hard work come to nothing. Literally, “Previous efforts completely discarded”.
前功尽弃 Pronunciation and Pinyin
- 前qián
- 功gōng
- 尽jìn
- 弃qì
前功尽弃 Character Breakdown
Example Sentence with 前功尽弃
Origin and Story of 前功尽弃
During the late Warring States period, Su Li, a master of diplomatic strategy, went to persuade King Hao of Zhou to stop Bai Qi, a great general of Qin, from attacking Daliang, the capital of Wei. Su Li warned that if Daliang fell, the Zhou dynasty would be in danger.
He then cited the example of Yang Youji, a famous archer from Chu, known for his incredible accuracy. Su Li said that even if Yang Youji hit the target 99 times, a single missed arrow would render all his previous successes useless, making all his efforts for naught.
However, Bai Qi ignored Su Li's advice and continued his military campaigns of conquest.
Idioms Related to 前功尽弃
Synonyms of 前功尽弃
Antonyms of 前功尽弃
More idioms starting with 前
- qián前bù不bā巴cūn村，，hòu后bù不bā巴diàn店nowhere to go for help
- qián前bù不bā巴cūn村，，hòu后bù不zháo着diàn店stranded in the middle of nowhere
- qián前bù不zháo着cūn村，，hòu后bù不zháo着diàn店stranded without support
- qián前bù不jiàn见gǔ古rén人，，hòu后bù不jiàn见lái来zhě者unprecedented and peerless, profoundly alone
- qián前shì事bù不wàng忘，，hòu后shì事zhī之shī师Learn from the past to guide the future
- qián前rén人shī失jiǎo脚，，hòu后rén人bǎ把huá滑learn from others' mistakes
- qián前rén人zāi栽shù树，，hòu后rén人chéng乘liáng凉Later generations benefit from earlier efforts
- qián前rén人zhǒng种dé德hòu后rén人shōu收Later generations benefit from ancestors' virtues
- qián前rén人zhòng种shù树，，hòu后rén人chéng乘liáng凉Later generations benefit from previous efforts
- qián前pū仆hòu后jì继fall and follow in a continuous effort
- qián前pū仆hòu后qǐ起one falls, another rises
- qián前pú仆hòu后bó踣fall one after another
Questions about 前功尽弃
- What does 前功尽弃 mean?
- 前功尽弃 (qián gōng jìn qì) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to waste all previous efforts”.
- How do you pronounce 前功尽弃?
- 前功尽弃 is pronounced qián gōng jìn qì in Mandarin Chinese.
- What does 前功尽弃 literally mean?
- Literally, 前功尽弃 means “Previous efforts completely discarded”. It is used to mean “to waste all previous efforts”.
- Where does 前功尽弃 come from?
- 前功尽弃 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
- What is the Chinese definition of 前功尽弃?
- 功：功劳；尽：完全；弃：丢失。以前的功劳全部丢失。也指以前的努力全部白费。