si6 pui5 gung1 bun3事倍功半
Jyutpingsi6 pui5 gung1 bun3
Yalesih púih gūng bun
Definition
To get half the result with twice the effort; inefficient.
neutralworkdescriptions
How it's used
This idiom is frequently used to criticize inefficient workflows or poor decision making. It carries a slightly formal tone compared to everyday slang, but it is perfectly acceptable in professional or academic settings. It serves as a warning that the current strategy is fundamentally flawed.
Examples
Working this way will only result in twice the effort for half the result.
Why are you still using this method, when it's so inefficient?
Related words
Common phrases
the result is twice the effort for half the gain
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a simple adjective describing someone who is lazy, but it specifically describes the inefficiency of a method or process rather than the character of a person.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
