机关算尽太聪明，反算了卿卿性命

Traditional form:

機關算盡太聰明，反算了卿卿性命

Pinyin (reading):

jīguānsuànjìntàicōngming,fǎnsuànleqīngqīngxìngmìng

Definitions:

• if one is too calculating, it will be the cause of one's own undoing (famous line in "A Dream of Red Mansions" 紅樓夢／红楼梦 ( Hónglóu Mèng))

Characters:

• 机 - desk; machine; moment, opportunity
• 关 - frontier pass; to close, to shut; relation
• 算 - to calculate, to count; to figure, to plan
• 尽 - to exhaust, to use up, to deplete
• 太 - very, too much; big; extreme
• 聪 - sharp (of sight and hearing); intelligent, clever, bright
• 明 - bright, clear; to explain, to understand, to shed light
• 反 - reverse, opposite; contrary, anti-
• 算 - to calculate, to count; to figure, to plan
• 了 - clear; to finish; particle of completed action
• 卿 - noble; minister; thou (poetic)
• 卿 - noble; minister; thou (poetic)
• 性 - sex, nature, character; suffix converting a verb to an adjective
• 命 - life; destiny, fate, luck; an order, instruction

Traditional characters:

• 機 - desk; machine; moment, opportunity
• 關 - frontier pass; to close, to shut; relation
• 算 - to calculate, to count; to figure, to plan
• 盡 - to exhaust, to use up, to deplete
• 太 - very, too much; big; extreme
• 聰 - sharp (of sight and hearing); intelligent, clever, bright
• 明 - bright, clear; to explain, to understand, to shed light
• 反 - reverse, opposite; contrary, anti-
• 算 - to calculate, to count; to figure, to plan
• 了 - clear; to finish; particle of completed action
• 卿 - noble; minister; thou (poetic)
• 卿 - noble; minister; thou (poetic)
• 性 - sex, nature, character; suffix converting a verb to an adjective
• 命 - life; destiny, fate, luck; an order, instruction