<p>It means giving up when project is almost done, e.g. a marathon runner quits only one step before the finish line. Often used to attribute failure to lack of persistence.</p>

<p>为山九仞，功亏一篑</p>

<p>Planed to build a nine-ren-high dirt mountain, but abandoned the project before finishing the last basket of dirt.</p>

<p>功：所做的事情, project.</p>

<p>亏：缺少, short of, lack.</p>

<p>篑：盛土的筐子, basket for carrying dirt.</p>

<p>Source: <a href="http://baike.baidu.com/view/79081.htm" rel="nofollow">http://baike.baidu.com/view/79081.htm</a></p>

<p>I believe there is an English translation just as picturesque, but I can't come up with it at this moment.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-19T04:00:29.793Z
2014-10-19T04:00:29.793Z
George Chen
<p>First, it's composed as 功亏一<em>篑</em> where  </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>篑 = container basket in construction  </p>
</blockquote>

<p>..</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>功亏一篑 =  Lack of a basketful to build the mount. / Lack of the final straw to break the camel's back (:</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-19T03:02:48.337Z
2014-10-19T03:02:48.337Z
Wala
<p>What does 功亏一貫 mean in English and its origin?</p>

<p>And what does 貫 mean?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-10-18T22:28:21.010Z
It's 功亏一**簣**, not 貫.
user58955
<translation><history>
What does 功亏一篑 mean and its origin?
# What does 功亏一篑 mean and its origin?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-10-18)

What does 功亏一貫 mean in English and its origin?

And what does 貫 mean?

**Tags:** translation, history
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: It's 功亏一**簣**, not 貫.  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2014-10-19. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

It means giving up when project is almost done, e.g. a marathon runner quits only one step before the finish line. Often used to attribute failure to lack of persistence.

为山九仞，功亏一篑

Planed to build a nine-ren-high dirt mountain, but abandoned the project before finishing the last basket of dirt.

功：所做的事情, project.

亏：缺少, short of, lack.

篑：盛土的筐子, basket for carrying dirt.

Source: <http://baike.baidu.com/view/79081.htm>

I believe there is an English translation just as picturesque, but I can't come up with it at this moment.


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2014-10-19. Score: 2

First, it's composed as 功亏一*篑* where

> 篑 = container basket in construction

..

> 功亏一篑 = Lack of a basketful to build the mount. / Lack of the final straw to break the camel's back (:


---

