偷鸡不成蚀把米 in English tou1 ji1 bu4 cheng2 shi2 ba3 mi3 Meaning

Meanings

  • literally (word for word) to try to steal a chicken only to end up losing the rice used to lure it (idiomatic expression)
  • metaphorically to try to gain an advantage only to end up worse off
  • to go for wool and come back shorn

Simplified Characters

偷 鸡 不 成 蚀 把 米

Traditional Characters

偷 雞 不 成 蝕 把 米

Pinyin

tou1 ji1 bu4 cheng2 shi2 ba3 mi3

Literal

Literal explanation, with pronunciation and meaning of each character.

偷tou1to steal 鸡ji1fowl 不bu4(negative prefix) 成cheng2surname Cheng 蚀shi2to nibble away at sth 把ba3to hold 米mi3surname Mi