赔了夫人又折兵 Lost both wife and soldiers
Explanation
比喻想占便宜,结果却遭受了更大的损失,不但没有得到好处,反而损失更多。
It means that one tries to gain something but ends up losing even more than expected. One has not only gained nothing, but has also suffered additional losses.
Origin Story
话说东汉末年,孙权为了夺回荆州,听从周瑜的计策,假意招亲,想以此为借口扣押刘备,再夺回荆州。诸葛亮看穿了孙权的计谋,便派赵云护送刘备前去吴国。刘备在赵云的陪同下,先去拜访了周瑜的岳父乔玄。乔玄是个人物,他看透了孙权的意图,而且深知孙权和周瑜的为人,所以主动出面,为刘备说和,劝说孙夫人将女儿嫁给刘备。最终,孙夫人答应了这门亲事,并在甘露寺举行了婚礼。孙权和周瑜的计谋彻底失败了,不仅没有夺回荆州,反而促成了孙尚香与刘备的结合,让孙家白白送了一个女儿。此事在当时被传为笑谈,世人感叹:周瑜的妙计,到头来却“赔了夫人又折兵”。
In the late Eastern Han Dynasty, Sun Quan, in order to regain Jingzhou, followed Zhou Yu's strategy and feigned a marriage proposal, hoping to use this as an excuse to detain Liu Bei and regain Jingzhou. Zhuge Liang saw through Sun Quan's scheme and sent Zhao Yun to escort Liu Bei to Wu. Liu Bei, accompanied by Zhao Yun, first visited Zhou Yu's father-in-law, Qiao Xuan. Qiao Xuan was a figure, he saw through Sun Quan's intentions, and deeply knew Sun Quan and Zhou Yu's nature, so he took the initiative to mediate, persuading Sun's wife to marry his daughter to Liu Bei. In the end, Sun's wife agreed to the marriage, and a wedding was held at Ganlu Temple. Sun Quan and Zhou Yu's scheme completely failed, not only did they fail to regain Jingzhou, but they also promoted the union of Sun Shangxiang and Liu Bei, causing the Sun family to give away a daughter in vain. This incident was a laughingstock at the time, and the world sighed: Zhou Yu's ingenious plan, in the end, "lost his wife and his army".
Usage
常用来形容因轻敌冒进或计策失误而遭受双重损失的局面。
It is often used to describe a situation where one suffers double losses due to underestimation, reckless advances, or tactical errors.
Examples
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他这次投资失败,真是赔了夫人又折兵。
ta zhe ci touzi shibai, zhen shi pei le furen you zhe bing
He failed in this investment, really lost his wife and his army.
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这场战争,我们不仅损失惨重,还失去了很多重要的将领,真是赔了夫人又折兵。
zhe chang zhanzheng, women bujin sunsishang chong, hai shiqu le hen duo zhongyao de jiangling, zhen shi pei le furen you zhe bing
In this war, we not only suffered heavy losses, but also lost many important generals, which is a real loss of both wife and soldiers.