成也萧何，败也萧何 chéng yě xiāo hé ， bài yě xiāo hé

DEFINITIONS

  1. lit. raised up by Xiao He, cast down by Xiao He (idiom), alluding to Han Xin 韓信|韩信[Han2 Xin4] being made Grand General 大將軍|大将军[da4 jiang1 jun1]
  2. fig. a situation where one's success and failure are both due to the same factor

CHARACTERS

成 chéng
HSK 3
completed, finished, fixed
也 yě
HSK 2
also; classical final particle of strong affirmation or identity
萧 xiāo common artemisia; dejected
何 hé
HSK 4
what, why, where, which, how
败 bài
HSK 4
be defeated, decline, fail
也 yě
HSK 2
also; classical final particle of strong affirmation or identity
萧 xiāo common artemisia; dejected
何 hé
HSK 4
what, why, where, which, how