| 差之毫厘，失之千里 |
chā zhī háo lí , shī zhī qiān lǐ |
the slightest difference leads to a huge loss (idiom) / a miss is as good as a mile |
| 差 |
chā |
difference; discrepancy / (math.) difference (amount remaining after a subtraction) / (literary) a little; somewhat; slightly |
| 差 |
chà |
different / wrong; mistaken / to fall short; to lack / not up to standard; inferior / Taiwan pr. [cha1] |
| 差 |
chāi |
to send (on an errand) / (archaic) person sent on such an errand / job; official post |
| 差 |
cī |
used in 参差 |
| 之 |
zhī |
(possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的) / him / her / it |
| 毫 |
háo |
hair / drawing brush / (in the) least / one thousandth / currency unit, 0.1 yuan |
| 厘 |
lí |
variant of 厘 |
| 厘 |
Lí |
Li (c. 2000 BC), sixth of the legendary Flame Emperors 炎帝 descended from Shennong 神农 Farmer God, also known as Ai 哀 |
| 厘 |
lí |
one hundredth / centi- |
| 失 |
shī |
to lose / to miss / to fail |
| 之 |
zhī |
(possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的) / him / her / it |
| 千 |
qiān |
thousand |
| 千 |
qiān |
used in 秋千 |
| 千里 |
qiān lǐ |
a thousand miles / a thousand li (i.e. 500 kilometers) / a long distance |
| 里 |
lǐ |
variant of 里 |
| 里 |
lǐ |
lining / interior / inside / internal / also written 里 |
| 里 |
Lǐ |
surname Li |
| 里 |
lǐ |
li, ancient measure of length, approx. 500 m / neighborhood / ancient administrative unit of 25 families / (Tw) borough, administrative unit between the township 镇 and neighborhood 邻 levels |