白费事

白费事

Literally means:

waste ones' energy

Actually means:

事 means time and energy one devotes to something.

This phrase means spending time and energy but achieving no success. It is often used to prove that one cannot obtain his success even though he has spent time and energy; or even one takes a lot of trouble, he still may fail.

事，工夫，即做事所耗费的时间和力气。

白费事，耗费工夫而没有收获或效果。常用来说明花了工夫之后，事情并没有成功，或即使花了工夫也不 一定成功。