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Home / Idiom / 因小失大

to save a little only to lose a lot (idiom)

因小失大
yīn xiǎo shī dà
Idiom
Chain
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Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
to neglect the root and pursue the tip (idiom) · to neglect fundamentals and concentrate on details舍本逐末shě běn zhú mòto miscalculate; to misjudge失算shī suàn(lit.) an ant hole may cause the collapse of a great dike (idiom) · (fig.) huge damage may result from a moment's negligence千里之堤，溃于蚁穴qiān lǐ zhī dī , kuì yú yǐ xuétry to save a little only to lose a lot · care for the fingers and lose the hand · lose much in being careful of little · stint a finger only to lose the whole hand惜指失掌xī zhǐ shī zhǎnglit. to kill the chicken to get the eggs (idiom) · fig. to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs杀鸡取卵shā jī qǔ luǎn(idiom) to waste both manpower and resources劳民伤财láo mín shāng cái
Antonyms
(lit.) one action, two gains (idiom) · (fig.) two birds with one stone一举两得yī jǔ liǎng dé
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