机关算尽太聪明，反算了卿卿性命 in English ji1 guan1 suan4 jin4 tai4 cong1 ming5 , fan3 suan4 le5 qing1 qing1 xing4 ming4 Meaning

Meanings

  • if one is too calculating, it will be the cause of one's own undoing (famous line in "A Dream of Red Mansions" 紅樓夢|红楼梦[Hong2 lou2 Meng4])

Simplified Characters

机 关 算 尽 太 聪 明 ， 反 算 了 卿 卿 性 命

Traditional Characters

機 關 算 盡 太 聰 明 ， 反 算 了 卿 卿 性 命

Pinyin

ji1 guan1 suan4 jin4 tai4 cong1 ming5 , fan3 suan4 le5 qing1 qing1 xing4 ming4

Literal

Literal explanation, with pronunciation and meaning of each character.

机ji1surname Ji 关guan1surname Guan 算suan4to regard as 尽jin3to the greatest extent 太tai4highest 聪cong1quick at hearing 明ming2Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) ， 反fan3contrary 算suan4to regard as 了le5(completed action marker) 卿qing1high ranking official (old) 卿qing1high ranking official (old) 性xing4nature 命ming4life