sprout but never flower; having potential but no achievement; mere appearance without substance
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
2 senses · 3 examplesidiom
sprout but never flower; having potential but no achievement
literary出自《论语》。字面指植物生长失败，比喻人徒有天赋或早期优势却最终失败。
Tā他
xiǎo小
shí时
hou候
bèi被
yù誉
wéi为
shén神
tóng童
，
kě可
xī惜
miáo苗
ér而
bù不
xiù秀
，
zhǎng长
dà大
hòu后
yī一
shì事
wú无
chéng成
。
He was hailed as a child prodigy when young, but unfortunately he sprouted without flowering, achieving nothing as an adult.
Zhè这
ge个
xiàng项
mù目
chū初
qī期
tóu投
rù入
jù巨
dà大
，
zuì最
zhōng终
què却
miáo苗
ér而
bù不
xiù秀
，
cǎo草
cǎo草
shōu收
chǎng场
。
This project received huge initial investment but ultimately sprouted without flowering, ending hastily.
idiom
mere appearance without substance
literary侧重外表看起来不错，但内在空洞无物。
Zhè这
jiā家
gōng公
sī司
xuān宣
chuán传
dé得
hěn很
huá华
lì丽
，
shí实
zé则
miáo苗
ér而
bù不
xiù秀
，
chǎn产
pǐn品
háo毫
wú无
jìng竞
zhēng争
lì力
。
This company advertises itself lavishly, but in reality it's mere appearance without substance, its products having no competitiveness.