きゅう
九
じん
仞
　
の
こう
功
　
を
いっ
一
き
簣
　
に
か
虧
　
く

expression, Godan verb

Idiomatic expression.
  1. to fail one step short of great success, to fall at the last hurdle.

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
きゅう
九
じん
仞
　
の
こう
功
　
を
いっ
一
き
簣
　
に
か
虧
　
く
 九仞の功を一簣に虧く きゅうじんのこうをいっきにかく

Contained Kanji Breakdown

nine
キュウ　ク　ここの (1st, N5)
fathom
ジン　はか.る (Kentei 1)
human radical (no. 9)
sword, saber, knife
かたな　トウ　ち (2nd, N1)
dot, tick or dot radical (no. 3)
チュ (Kentei 1)
achievement, merits, success
コウ　いさお　ク (4th, N1)
craft, construction, katakana e radical (no. 48)
コウ　ク　もく (2nd, N4)
power, strength, strong
リョク　ちから　リキ (1st, N4)
one, one radical (no.1)
イチ　いっ　ひと- (1st, N5)
earth-carrying basket
キ　もっこ　あじか (Kentei 1)
bamboo
たけ　チク　たか (1st, N2)
individual(個) variant
knife, wrapping enclosure(勹) variant
feathered stick, barb radical (no. 6)
ケツ　かぎ (Kentei 1)
precious, value, prize
キ　ぎ　とうと.い (6th, N1)
only used in personal names
in, inside, middle
なか　チュウ　うち (1st, N5)
mouth
くち　コウ　ク (1st, N4)
number one, line, rod radical (no. 2)
コン　シ　ジョ
one, one radical (no.1)
イチ　いっ　ひと- (1st, N5)
shellfish
かい　バイ (1st, N2)
eye, class, look
め　モク　ボク (1st, N4)
eight, eight radical (no. 12)
ハチ　や　はっ (1st, N5)
wane (moon)
キ　か.ける (Kentei 1)
to be lacking, to be deficient
tiger spots, mottled, tiger or tiger crown radical (no. 141)
コ (Kentei 1)
divining, fortune-telling, divination or katakana to radical (no. 25)
ボク　うらな.う　うらない (Kentei Pre-1)
wild goose, trailing cliff radical (no. 27)
カン　かりがね (Kentei 1)
spoon, spoon or katakana hi radical (no. 21)
ヒ　さじ (Kentei 1)
bird, old bird radical (no. 172)
サイ　スイ　とり (Kentei 1)
human radical (no. 9)
lord, chief, master
シュ　あるじ　ぬし (3rd, N4)
dot, tick or dot radical (no. 3)
チュ (Kentei 1)
king, rule, magnate
オウ　-ノウ　おお (1st, N3)
one, one radical (no.1)
イチ　いっ　ひと- (1st, N5)