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gōng kuī yī kuì

功亏一篑

lit. to ruin the enterprise for the sake of one basketful; to fail through lack of a final effort

Frequency 2.4

Meanings

  • 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)

Example sentences

  • 这项工程已接近完成，不能因为疏忽而功亏一篑。