qián gōng jìn qì

to waste all one’s previous efforts (idiom)

all that has been achieved goes down the drain

waste all the previous efforts; waste the efforts already made; All labour lost.; All one's labour has been in vain.; All the work one has done is wasted.; All that has been achieved is spoiled.; All one's previous efforts are wasted.; All previous work undone.; All previous work came to naught.; forfeiture of all the former achievements; One's past merits will count for nothing.; The former labour is all wasted.; All the former tasks have been thrown away.:

【释义】功：功劳；尽：完全；弃：丢失。以前的功劳全部丢失。也指以前的努力全部白费。

【近义】功亏一篑、功败垂成

【反义】大功告成

【出处】《战国策·西周策》：“公之功甚多，今公又以秦兵出塞，过两周，践韩，而以攻梁，一攻而不得，前功尽灭。”

【用例】皇上叫你去带兵，或是打土匪，或是打洋人，打赢了还好，打输了，岂非前功尽弃，自寻苦恼。（清·李宝嘉《官场现形记》第四十九回）

本作“前功尽灭”。

谓事将成而失败，以前的努力全部白费。