죽도 밥도 안 됐어요 · 이러다 죽도 밥도 안 되겠어요
to come to nothing, to end up a total mess (by doing things halfway) (lit. to become neither porridge nor rice)
Example
이것저것 다 하려다가 죽도 밥도 안 됐어요.
I tried to do everything at once, and it all came to nothing.
Word parts
Botched cooking: with the wrong amount of water, the rice turns out neither proper porridge nor proper rice.
Good to know
Often a warning against doing things halfway or chasing two goals at once: 이러다 죽도 밥도 안 되겠어요.
Related words