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공들인 노력도 헛되다

gong-deul-in no-ryeok-do heot-deu-da
phrase★Intermediate— all your hard work goes to waste
◆ What It Really Means
To express the disappointment of seeing one's hard work not lead to any meaningful outcome.
¶ Literal Meaning
Hard work also becomes in vain.
Literal Breakdown
공들인put in+노력effort+헛되다to be in vain
◇ Mental Image
The mental image of someone putting in a lot of effort only to see it all go to waste, evoking feelings of frustration and disappointment.
◈ When to Use
A student who studied hard for an exam but failed might say, '공들인 노력도 헛되다 보니 실망감이 컸다.' (I was deeply disappointed because all my hard work went to waste.)
◉ Cultural Note
This phrase reflects a common sentiment in Korean culture where effort and perseverance are highly valued, making the disappointment of wasted effort particularly poignant.
informal

To describe a situation where significant effort or hard work ultimately proves fruitless or meaningless.

그동안 공들인 노력도 헛되게 되었다.

All the effort I put in turned out to be in vain.

공들인 노력도 헛되다 보니 포기하고 말았다.

I gave up because all my hard work was for nothing.

💡

This phrase emphasizes the disappointment or frustration of seeing one's efforts not yield the expected results.

Collocations

공들인 노력hard work헛되다go to waste

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Phrases

수고가 헛되다phrase
effort is in vain
고생이 헛되다phrase
suffering is in vain

💡Pro Tip

Emphasizing Disappointment

This phrase is often used to express deep disappointment when efforts do not yield results, making it stronger than simply saying 'it didn't work out.'

⚡Gold Rule

Contextual Use

Use this phrase when you want to convey a strong sense of frustration or resignation about the futility of your efforts.

📖Word Origin

The phrase combines '공들인 노력' (hard work) and '헛되다' (to be in vain), reflecting a common sentiment of disappointment when efforts do not lead to success.

📝Usage Notes

This phrase is often used to express frustration or resignation when one's efforts do not result in the desired outcome. It can be used in both personal and professional contexts.

Word Breakdown

공들인
put in
root
+
노력
effort
root
+
헛되다
to be in vain
root
한영사전

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