English–Chinese
“in vain” in Chinese
Chinese
Pronunciation
Pinyinbái bái
Example
别让孩子的努力白白浪费了。bié ràng hái zi de nǔ lì bái bái làng fèi le
Don't let the child's efforts go to waste.
How to say “in vain” in Chinese
“In vain” in Chinese is 白白 (bái bái).
Something is spent, done, or given, yet the expected result or payment never appears.
Example sentences with 白白
你别为这件小事白白努力了，换个方法试试。nǐ bié wèi zhè jiàn xiǎo shì bái bái nǔ lì le huàn gè fāng fǎ shì shì
Do not keep working hard in vain on this small matter; try another method.
Tips for using 白白
- The word describes the outcome of an action or exchange, not the intention behind it, so it can sound neutral in reports as well as regretful complaints.