be penny-wise and pound-foolish
US /bi ˈpɛni waɪz ænd paʊnd ˈfuːlɪʃ/
UK /bi ˈpɛni waɪz ænd paʊnd ˈfuːlɪʃ/
1.
捡了芝麻丢了西瓜, 因小失大
to be careful and economical in small matters while being wasteful or extravagant in large ones
:
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He tried to save money by buying cheap parts for his car, but ended up spending more on repairs. He was penny-wise and pound-foolish.
他试图通过购买廉价汽车零件来省钱，结果却在维修上花更多。他真是捡了芝麻丢了西瓜。
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The company decided to cut corners on quality control to save a small amount, which led to major product recalls. They were truly penny-wise and pound-foolish.
公司决定在质量控制上偷工减料以节省少量资金，结果导致了大规模的产品召回。他们真是捡了芝麻丢了西瓜。