机关算尽太聪明，反算了卿卿性命

jī guān suàn jìn tài cōng ming , fǎn suàn le qīng qīng xìng mìng

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Definitions

1. 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[hóng lóu mèng])

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Child Words of 机关算尽太聪明，反算了卿卿性命

• 性 性 xìng: characteristic
• 了 了 le: (completed action marker)
• 尽 尽 jǐn: to the greatest extent
• 反 反 fǎn: contrary
• 命 命 mìng: life
• 太 太 tài: highest
• 性命 性命 xìng mìng: life
• 机关 机关 jī guān: mechanism; gear
• 尽 尽 jìn: to use up
• 了 了 liǎo: (of eyes) bright
• 算 算 suàn: to regard as
• 算了 算了 suàn le: let it be
• 聪明 聪明 cōng ming: intelligent
• 关 关 guān: mountain pass
• 明 明 míng: bright
• 机 机 jī: (bound form) machine; mechanism
• 聪 聪 cōng: quick at hearing