功亏一篑

Mandarin

Etymology

Literally: to be one basket (of dirt) short of success (in one's attempt to build a nine ren high mound)

From the longer phrase (first part is usually omitted): 为山九仞，功亏一篑

Pronunciation

• IPA: [ kʊŋ˥˥kʰuei˥˥ji˧˥kʰuei˥˩ ]

Idiom

功亏一篑 (simplified, Pinyin gōng kuī yī kuì or gōng kuī yí kuì, traditional 功虧一簣)

1. close but no cigar; close, but no cigar

Related terms

• 功败垂成
• 半途而废
• 前功尽弃

References

• "功亏一篑" (in Mandarin), Guoyu Cidian On-line Mandarin Dictionary (國語辭典). URL accessed on 2009-05-24.

External links

• Google hits: .cn
• Google hits: .tw