事倍功半

shìbèigōngbàn
(idiom) to expend twice the effort for half the result

CEDICT

做事花費用或精神多而得到的效果小。

重編國語辭典

Homographs

事倍功半 shìbèi-gōngbàn

Entry Composition

1 事 shì
  1. matter
  2. thing
  3. item
  4. work
  5. affair

classifiers: 件, 樁, 回
2 倍 bèi
  1. (two, three etc) -fold
  2. times (multiplier)
  3. double
  4. to increase or multiply
3 功 gōng
  1. meritorious deed or service
  2. achievement
  3. result
  4. service
  5. accomplishment
  6. work (physics)
4 半 bàn
  1. half
  2. semi-
  3. incomplete
  4. (after a number) and a half