竹篮打水，一场空竹籃打水，一場空竹籃打水，一場空

drawing water with a bamboo basket: all for nothing

Saying俗语俗語

Two-part saying歇后语歇後語 · In everyday use

Meaning: Effort that ends in nothing; all hopes dashed. Similar to 'a wasted effort' or 'carrying water in a sieve'.
Wordplay: 空 (kōng) means both 'empty' (the basket holds nothing) and 'come to nothing'.

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Simplified: 竹篮打水，一场空
Traditional (Taiwan): 竹籃打水，一場空
Pinyin: zhúlándǎshuǐ, yìchángkōng
Pinyin (Taiwan): zhúlándáshuǐ, yìchángkōng
Bopomofo: ㄓㄨˊ ㄌㄢˊ ㄉㄚˊ ㄕㄨㄟˇ，ㄧˋ ㄔㄤˊ ㄎㄨㄥ

Words in this sentence

一(yì)场(cháng)空(kōng)all in vain

Where this sentence is used

Chinese sayings

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