forget the means once the goal is achieved; be ungrateful to the tool
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
to forget the means by which one achieved a goal; to be ungrateful to the source of one's success
literaryDerived from a story in Zhuangzi. Carries a negative connotation of ingratitude or short-sightedness. Often used in literary or philosophical contexts.
Tā他
fā发
dá达
hòu后
，
duì对
xī昔
rì日
bāng帮
zhù助
tā他
de的
péng朋
you友
dé得
yú鱼
wàng忘
quán筌
，
lìng令
rén人
xīn心
hán寒
。
After he became successful, he forgot the friends who helped him in the past, which is chilling.
Xué学
xí习
zhī知
shi识
bù不
néng能
dé得
yú鱼
wàng忘
quán筌
，
yào要
láo牢
jì记
fāng方
fǎ法
。
When acquiring knowledge, one shouldn't forget the learning method once the knowledge is gained; one must remember the method.
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Zhè这
zhǒng种
dé得
yú鱼
wàng忘
quán筌
de的
xíng行
wéi为
，
zuì最
zhōng终
huì会
ràng让
tā他
shī失
qù去
suǒ所
yǒu有
rén人
de的
xìn信
rèn任
。
This kind of ungrateful behavior will eventually cause him to lose everyone's trust.