tōu​jī​bù​zháo​shí​bǎ​mǐ

to go for wool and come back shorn

  1. to steal
    to steal; to pilfer; to snatch something secretly; to commit theft
  2. chicken
    chicken; fowl; bird of the Galliformes order typically raised for its meat or eggs
  3. unsuccessful
    (literary) To be unsuccessful; to fail in an attempt, such as failing to find a contact or failing to achieve a desired outcome.
  4. to lose
    (bound form) to lose money in business; to suffer a loss
  5. 把 bǎ measure word
    [classifier]
    Used for objects with handles, things that can be held in one hand, bundles, certain abstract concepts (like strength or age), or for hand movements and actions.
  6. 米 mǐ noun
    rice
    uncooked rice; paddy rice; food in general