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
Literally: “The success is from Xiao He, and the downfall is also from Xiao He.”

Etymology

In the beginning of the Han Dynasty, Xiao He recommended Han Xin become a general, later he helped Empress Lü Zhi to have Han Xin 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 Xiāo Hé, bài yě Xiāo Hé

  (Zhuyin): ㄔㄥˊ ㄧㄝˇ ㄒㄧㄠ ㄏㄜˊ , ㄅㄞˋ ㄧㄝˇ ㄒㄧㄠ ㄏㄜˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): sing⁴ jaa⁵ siu¹ ho⁴, baai⁶ jaa⁵ siu¹ ho⁴

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: chéng yě Xiāo Hé, bài yě Xiāo Hé
    • Zhuyin: ㄔㄥˊ ㄧㄝˇ ㄒㄧㄠ ㄏㄜˊ , ㄅㄞˋ ㄧㄝˇ ㄒㄧㄠ ㄏㄜˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: chéng yě Siao Hé, bài yě Siao Hé
    • Wade–Giles: chʻêng² yeh³ Hsiao¹ Ho², pai⁴ yeh³ Hsiao¹ Ho²
    • Yale: chéng yě Syāu Hé-, bài yě Syāu Hé
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: cherng yee Shiau Her, bay yee Shiau Her
    • Palladius: чэн е Сяо Хэ, бай е Сяо Хэ (čɛn je Sjao Xɛ, baj je Sjao Xɛ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ jɛ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵ xɤ³⁵ paɪ̯⁵¹ jɛ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵ xɤ³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: sing⁴ jaa⁵ siu¹ ho⁴, baai⁶ jaa⁵ siu¹ ho⁴
    • Yale: sìhng yáh sīu hòh, baaih yáh sīu hòh
    • Cantonese Pinyin: sing⁴ jaa⁵ siu¹ ho⁴, baai⁶ jaa⁵ siu¹ ho⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: xing⁴ ya⁵ xiu¹ ho⁴, bai⁶ ya⁵ xiu¹ ho⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɪŋ²¹ jaː¹³ siːu̯⁵⁵ hɔː²¹ paːi̯²² jaː¹³ siːu̯⁵⁵ hɔː²¹/

Idiom

成也蕭何，敗也蕭何

1. the key to one's success is also one's 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

Usage notes

蕭何 / 萧何 (Xiāo Hé) can also be replaced with any name.