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

HSK 3

他们在决赛中铩羽而归。

Tāmen zài juésài zhōng shāyǔ'érguī.

They returned defeated from the final.

HSK 7-9

公司首次进军海外市场就铩羽而归。

Gōngsī shǒucì jìnjūn hǎiwài shìchǎng jiù shāyǔ'érguī.

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

HSK 7-9

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