功虧一簣

gung1 kwai1 jat1 gwai6

lit. to ruin the enterprise for the sake of one basketful · to fail through lack of a final effort · to spoil the ship for a ha'penny worth of tar (idiom)

2 Written Forms

Meanings

  1. lit. to ruin the enterprise for the sake of one basketful
  2. to fail through lack of a final effort
  3. to spoil the ship for a ha'penny worth of tar (idiom)

Written Forms

功虧一簣Traditional · Main Form
功亏一篑Alternate Form

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