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功败垂成

gōng bài chuí chéngdictionary entry
DEFINITION CC-CEDICT
to fail within sight of success (idiom) / last-minute failure / to fall at the last hurdle / snatching defeat from the jaws of victory
Sources & editorial notes

Reference definitions: CC-CEDICT contributors and MDBG, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source release 2026-10-27T01:55:52Z. Imported 2026-10-27. Definition wording and meaning order are retained. Recognized pronunciation references are displayed with tone marks; the original source record is available below.

Source record: cd-62a5c4d24e26723c. Source SHA-256: bbc4b27f26bee1a262f4d7939667a040c7857c7fc0200a2fa7a86d3352a09eae.

Original source entry:

功敗垂成 功败垂成 [gong1 bai4 chui2 cheng2] /to fail within sight of success (idiom); last-minute failure/to fall at the last hurdle/snatching defeat from the jaws of victory/

Reference definitions and teaching material have separate provenance.

Reference information

The definitions above are from CC-CEDICT. Examples and usage notes are available on selected entries.

Character information

View the individual characters. Their meanings do not necessarily explain the meaning of the whole word.

Other forms in these source records: 功敗垂成

  • 功
    gōng

    meritorious deed or service / achievement / result / service / accomplishment / work (physics)

  • 败
    bài

    to defeat / to damage / to lose (to an opponent) / to fail / to wither

  • 垂
    chuí

    to hang (down) / droop / dangle / bend down / hand down / bequeath / nearly / almost / to approach

  • 成
    chéng

    to succeed / to finish / to complete / to accomplish / to become / to turn into / to be all right / OK! / one tenth

    Chéng

    surname Cheng / short name for Chengdu 成都[Chéng dū]

Reference definitions from CC-CEDICT.