骨ほね折おり損ぞん

noun

waste of effort; vain effort; labor in vain

Describes a situation where hard work yields no reward or result. Often used in set phrases like 骨折り損のくたびれ儲け.

• 何なん時じ間かんもかけて資し料りょうを作つくったのに、会かい議ぎで使つかわれなかった。まさに骨ほね折おり損ぞんだった。

  I spent hours preparing the materials, but they weren't used in the meeting. It was truly a waste of effort.

• 骨ほね折おり損ぞんのくたびれ儲もうけにならないように、事じ前ぜんにしっかり計けい画かくを立たてよう。

  Let's plan carefully in advance so it doesn't turn into a lot of work for nothing.