cin4 gung1 zeon6 fai3前功盡廢前功尽废
Definition
To waste all previous efforts; for all past achievements to go completely to waste.
How it's used
This idiom carries a strong sense of regret and frustration, often used to warn someone against stopping a project or task when they are near the finish line. It functions as a predicate or a verb phrase, emphasizing that the cumulative value of past actions has been completely nullified. It is frequently employed in persuasive or cautionary contexts to highlight the high cost of quitting prematurely.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with the similar sounding idiom 前功盡棄, which is more commonly used in formal written Chinese. While both mean the same thing, 前功盡廢 is slightly more emphatic about the total loss of utility, whereas 前功盡棄 focuses on the abandonment of the effort itself.
Grammar color guide
Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
