功亏一篑

gōng kuī yī kuì

to fall short at the last step

Character by character

功gōng
work

亏kuī
short by

一yī
one

篑kuì
basket

最后一门考试没通过，真是功亏一篑。

Failing the very last exam: falling at the final hurdle.

Tone: negative (criticism).

From the Book of Documents (《尚书·旅獒》): a mound nine ren high left unfinished for want of one basket of earth.

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