成也蕭何，敗也蕭何

See also: 成也萧何，败也萧何

Chinese

		finish; complete; accomplish finish; complete; accomplish; become; turn into; win; succeed; one tenth	also; too	Xiao He		be defeated; to defeat; loss	also; too	Xiao He
trad. (成也蕭何，敗也蕭何)		成	也	蕭何	，	敗	也	蕭何
simp. (成也萧何，败也萧何)		成	也	萧何	，	败	也	萧何

Etymology

In the beginning of the Han Dynasty, Xiao He recommended Han Xin become a general, later he helped Empress Lü Zhi to have him killed. Later, this phrase was used as a metaphor to describe a situation in the success or failure of an endeavor derives from the same person or thing.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): chéng yě xiāohé, bài yě xiāohé

(Zhuyin): ㄔㄥˊ ㄧㄝˇ ㄒㄧㄠㄏㄜˊ, ㄅㄞˋ ㄧㄝˇ ㄒㄧㄠㄏㄜˊ

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Pinyin: chéng yě xiāohé, bài yě xiāohé
  - Zhuyin: ㄔㄥˊ ㄧㄝˇ ㄒㄧㄠㄏㄜˊ, ㄅㄞˋ ㄧㄝˇ ㄒㄧㄠㄏㄜˊ
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: chengr yyie shiauher, bay yyie shiauher
  - IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ i̯ɛ²¹⁴⁻²¹¹ ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵ xɤ³⁵ paɪ̯⁵¹ i̯ɛ²¹⁴⁻²¹¹ ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵ xɤ³⁵/

Idiom

成也蕭何，敗也蕭何

the key to his success is also his undoing
the key to their success is also their undoing
- 成也蕭何敗也蕭何低成本成沃爾瑪命門 [MSC, trad.]
  成也萧何败也萧何低成本成沃尔玛命门 [MSC, simp.]
  From: 2005: anon. 慧聪网 (H360.com)
  chéngyěxiāohébàiyěxiāohé dī chéngběn chéng Wò'ěrmǎ mìngmén [Pinyin]
  The key to their success was also their undoing, low cost was the mandate of Walmart
not dependable; now yes, now no; always changing

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