竹籃打水，一場空 zhú lán dǎ shuǐ ， yī cháng kōng

using a wicker basket to draw water (idiom); wasted effort

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. using a wicker basket to draw water (idiom); wasted effort

Characters

Character Meaning
竹 zhú HSK 5
bamboo; Kangxi radical 118
籃 lán
basket (receptacle); basket (in basketball)
打 dǎ HSK 1
to hit; to strike; to beat
水 shuǐ HSK 1
water; liquid; beverage
一 yī HSK 1
one; 1; single
場 cháng
large place used for a specific purpose; stage
空 kōng HSK 3
empty; sky; air