花费了力气，却没有收到成效。
劳而无功 [láo ér wú gōng]
1. toil with no gain; a fruitless attempt; All one's efforts came to naught.; exert oneself to no purpose; labour lost; lost labour; make futile efforts; much cry and little wool; toil in vain; work hard but to no avail徒劳而没有功效。
老舍《四世同堂》：“假如他立在她后边，给她指点指点呢，她会一定把输钱的罪过都归到他身上，不但劳而无功，而且罪在不赦。”
语言学
work fruitlessly
Work fruitlessly
打击也是甘美的，腐烂也是怡悦的，对支拨而言，腐败是劳而无功(Work fruitlessly)的心酸，当人的大脑充满怀疑时，不可能从事任何建设性的，创造性的事情。热忱是推销成功的最大要素，也是唯一要素。
Carry coals to newcastle
主题：东西方成语对照 ... Hand in glove 狼狈为奸 Carry coals to newcastle 劳而无功 A Green old age 老当益壮 ...
work hard but to no avail
work hard but to no avail
work fruitlessly
work fruitlessly
劳而无功的事
wild goose chase
作为回应，企业绝望的试图使用促销、广告和其他市场策略来支撑收入，但往往劳而无功。
In response, companies have tried desperately to prop up revenues using a variety of promotions, advertising and other marketing ploys, often to no avail.
盖茨是有理由认为乔布斯会劳而无功的。
Gates had some reason to think Jobs' mission was worthless.
布林否认了劳而无功的说法，但他委婉地解释说：“谷歌之前的产品专注于交友和娱乐。”
Brin denied this, and then hedged, explaining, “Past services have focused on friends and entertainment.”
láo ér wú gōng
