futile effort; wasted labor
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesidiom
to work to no avail; to labor in vain; futile effort
Often used to describe efforts that fail due to wrong methods or impossible circumstances. Can be used as a predicate or complement.
Wǒ我
men们
shì试
tú图
shuō说
fú服
tā他
，
dàn但
tú徒
láo劳
wú无
gōng功
。
We tried to persuade him, but it was a futile effort.
Méi没
yǒu有
zhèng正
què确
de的
fāng方
fǎ法
，
nǔ努
lì力
yě也
huì会
tú徒
láo劳
wú无
gōng功
。
Without the right method, hard work will be in vain.
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Tā他
tú徒
láo劳
wú无
gōng功
de地
zhǎo找
le了
jǐ几
gè个
xiǎo小
shí时
。
He searched fruitlessly for several hours.
Shì试
tú图
gǎi改
biàn变
tā她
de的
xiǎng想
fǎ法
shì是
tú徒
láo劳
wú无
gōng功
de的
。
Trying to change her mind is an exercise in futility.