铩羽而归

鎩羽而歸

shāyǔ'érguī

idiom #42,276

Meanings

1 to return with clipped wings
2 to come back defeated or with one's ambitions thwarted

Characters

to damage (feathers); cut

and; then (classical)

Examples

他们在决赛中铩羽而归。

Tāmen zài juésài zhōng shāyǔ'érguī.

They returned defeated from the final.

公司首次进军海外市场就铩羽而归。

Gōngsī shǒu cì jìnjūn hǎiwài shìchǎng jiù shāyǔ'érguī.

The company was soundly beaten back on its first foray into overseas markets.

满怀信心地出战，却铩羽而归，他心里很不是滋味。

Mǎnhuái xìnxīn de chūzhàn, què shāyǔ'érguī, tā xīnlǐ hěn bùshì zīwèi.

He went in full of confidence and came back thoroughly defeated — it left him feeling bitter.

Tips

history

From Bao Zhao's petition in the Liu-Song dynasty (南朝宋·鲍照《拜侍郎上疏》): 'with feathers clipped and scales exposed (铩羽暴鳞), yet I may soar and leap again.' 铩 means to damage a bird's wing feathers — a classical image of frustrated ambition.

register

Literary and formal. Common in sports reporting, business journalism, and commentary on campaigns or bids — less so in everyday speech.

Stroke Order

铩 shā

羽 yǔ

而 ér

归 guī