一場空
simp一场空jat1 coeng4 hung1yī cháng kōng
English
- all in vain; futile
- to end up with nothing, to have gained nothing, to do something without result
粵語 — Cantonese
- 冇任何收穫,徒勞無功,乜都冇
Examples
人生不过是一场空梦。
Life is but an empty dream.
Tatoeba · jan_OkulaJu CC BY
練拳不練功,到老一場空。
If you practice only the form of martial art but never build up your strength, you will gain nothing when you turn old.
Sources: cc-cedict, rime-cantonese, words.hk