煮熟的鴨子飛了 zhǔ shú de yā zi fēi le

(fig.) to let a sure thing slip through one's fingers

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. (fig.) to let a sure thing slip through one's fingers
  2. 2. the cooked duck flew away (proverb)

Characters

Character Meaning
煮 zhǔ HSK 5
to cook; to boil; variant of 煮zhǔ
熟 shú HSK 4
familiar; cooked (of food); ripe (of fruit)
的 de HSK 1
(used after an attribute)
鴨 yā
duck; (slang) male prostitute
子 zi HSK 1
(noun suffix); son; child
飛 fēi
to fly
了 le HSK 1
(completed action marker)