a waste of money and manpower; exhaust the people and drain the trea sury ? 以后你府縣再不可供獻(xiàn)金燈，～也。(《西游記》九十二) From now on your county should never offer any more gold lamps so as to avoid wasting money and manpower.
勞民傷財(cái)lao min shang cai
tire the people and drain the treasury
勞民傷財(cái)
exhaust the people and drain the treasury;waste both money and manpower
勞民傷財(cái)láo mín shānɡ cái
使人民受苦受累，又浪費(fèi)財(cái)物。比喻不講效果濫用人力物力。waste money and manpower, exhaust the people and drain the treasury, harass the people and waste money, spend blood and treasure