泥牛入海

níniú-rùhǎi

gone forever and without a trace

Wiktionary

Homographs

泥牛入海 níniúrùhǎi lit. a clay ox enters the sea (idiom); fig. to disappear with no hope of returning

Entry Composition

=1 泥 ní
  1. mud
  2. clay
  3. paste
  4. pulp
=1 泥 nì restrained
=2 牛 Niú surname Niu
=2 牛 niú
  1. ox
  2. cow
  3. bull
  4. newton (abbr. for 牛顿 niúdùn)
  5. (slang) awesome

classifiers: 條, 頭
3 入海 rùhǎi to enter the sea (of a river, etc.)