Meaning of 功亏一篑
功亏一篑 means to fall short of success for lack of one final effort; to fail to complete a task when just one step short of completion; to spoil the ship for a ha'porth of tar. Pronounced gōng kuī yī kuì.
- to fall short of success for lack of one final effort; to fail to complete a task when just one step short of completion; to spoil the ship for a ha'porth of tar
Definitions & Examples
Wǒ我
men们
qiān千
wàn万
bù不
néng能
gōng功
kuī亏
yī一
kuì篑
，
bì必
xū须
zài在
zuì最
hòu后
jiē阶
duàn段
jiān坚
chí持
xià下
qù去
。
We absolutely must not fall short of success for lack of one final effort; we must persist through the final stage.
Zhè这
gè个
xiàng项
mù目
yǐ已
jīng经
tóu投
rù入
le了
dà大
liàng量
zī资
jīn金
，
xiàn现
zài在
tíng停
zhǐ止
jiù就
shì是
gōng功
kuī亏
yī一
kuì篑
。
So much money has already been invested in this project; stopping now would be falling short of success for lack of one final effort.
Dēng登
shān山
duì队
zài在
jù距
lí离
dǐng顶
fēng峰
zhǐ只
yǒu有
yī一
bǎi百
mǐ米
shí时
chè撤
tuì退
，
zhēn真
shì是
gōng功
kuī亏
yī一
kuì篑
。
The climbing team retreated when they were only one hundred meters from the summit—truly falling short of success for lack of one final effort.
Nǐ你
yào要
jiān坚
chí持
dào到
dǐ底
，
bù不
yào要
gōng功
kuī亏
yī一
kuì篑
。
You must persist until the very end; do not fall short of success for lack of one final effort.