功敗垂成 gōng bài chuí chéng

DEFINITIONS

  1. to fail within sight of success (idiom); last-minute failure
  2. to fall at the last hurdle
  3. snatching defeat from the jaws of victory

CHARACTERS

功 gōng
HSK 4
achievement, merit, good result
敗 bài be defeated, decline, fail
垂 chuí
HSK 6
let down; suspend, hand; down
成 chéng
HSK 3
completed, finished, fixed