偷雞不著蝕把米tōu jī bù zháo shí bǎ mǐtry to steal a chicken only to end up losing the rice; go for wool and come home shorn; outsmart oneself; try to be clever only to end up with a blunder
? 沒想到如意算盤撥拉錯了，弄了個偷雞不成白搭上幾把米。(馮志《敵后武工隊》143) Contrary to their expectations,however，“they went for wool and came home shorn，” as the saying goes. 偷雞不著蝕把米tōu jī bù zháo shí bǎ mǐ比喻想取巧成事，但反而自招損失。go for wool and come back shorn, try to steal a chicken only to end up losing the rice |