zhú​lán​dǎ​shuǐ​yī​chǎng​kōng

all in vain

Senses

竹篮打水一场空/ 竹籃打水一場空 zhú​lán​dǎ​shuǐ​yī​chǎng​kōng all in vain

Drawing water with a bamboo basket; to struggle only for it all to come to nothing or be a complete failure.

References

see 竹篮打水/竹籃打水 竹篮打水一场空/竹籃打水一場空