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shì 事 bèi 倍 gōng 功 bàn 半

事倍功半 shì bèi gōng bàn

twice the effort for half the result; inefficient

Literally: effort double result half

Intermediate 💼 Work & money
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Origin

From the Mencius: 事半古之人,功必倍之; the reversed form describes the opposite.

How to use it

Predicate or complement; negative. 方法不对,事倍功半.

Example sentences

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  1. 方法不对，学习再努力也会事倍功半。
    Fāngfǎ bù duì, xuéxí zài nǔlì yě huì shì bèi gōng bàn.
    With the wrong method, however hard you study you will get half the result for twice the effort.
    method not correct, study however hard also will effort double result half
  2. 大家不沟通，各做各的，结果事倍功半。
    Dàjiā bù gōutōng, gè zuò gè de, jiéguǒ shì bèi gōng bàn.
    Nobody communicated and everyone did their own thing, so the effort produced little.
    everyone not communicate, each do each (particle), result effort double result half

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