劳而无功
Traditional form:
勞而無功
Pinyin (reading):
láo'érwúgōng
Definitions:
- to work hard while accomplishing little
- to toil to no avail
Characters:
- 劳 - to labor, to toil; to do manual work
- 而 - and, and then, and yet; but
- 无 - no, not; lacking, -less
- 功 - achievement, good work; merit; service
Traditional characters: