成事不足，敗事有餘 chéng shì bù zú ， bài shì yǒu yú

always ruins things; never gets things done

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. unable to accomplish anything but liable to spoil everything (idiom)
  2. 2. unable to do anything right
  3. 3. never make, but always mar

Characters

Character Meaning
成 chéng HSK 3
to become; to succeed; to complete
事 shì HSK 2
matter; thing; affair
不 bù HSK 1
not; no; (negative prefix)
足 zú HSK 2
to be sufficient; foot; ample
敗 bài
to fail; to lose (to an opponent); to defeat
事 shì HSK 2
matter; thing; affair
有 yǒu HSK 1
to have; there is; there are
餘 yú
remaining; surplus; extra