偷鸡不成蚀把米

tōu jī bù chéng shí bǎ mǐ

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Definitions

1. lit. to try to steal a chicken only to end up losing the rice used to lure it (idiom)
2. fig. to try to gain an advantage only to end up worse off
3. to go for wool and come back shorn

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Child Words of 偷鸡不成蚀把米

• 不 不 bù: no; not so
• 不成 不成 bù chéng: won't do
• 偷 偷 tōu: to steal
• 成 成 chéng: to succeed
• 把 把 bǎ: handlebar
• 把 把 bà: handle
• 米 米 mǐ: rice
• 鸡 鸡 jī: fowl
• 蚀 蚀 shí: to nibble away at sth