成也萧何，败也萧何

lit. raised up by Xiao He, cast down by Xiao He (idiom), alluding to Han Xin 韓信|韩信[Han2 Xin4] being made Grand General 大將軍|大将军[da4 jiang1 jun1] / fig. a situation where one's success and failure are both due to the same factor

surname Cheng

to succeed / to finish / to complete / to accomplish / to become / to turn into / to be all right / OK! / one tenth

(adverb) also; both ... and ... (before predicates only) / (literary) particle having functions similar to 啊[a5]

surname Xiao

miserable / desolate / dreary / Chinese mugwort

Xiao He (-193 BC), famous strategist and chancellor, fought on Liu Bang's 劉邦|刘邦[Liu2 Bang1] side during the Chu-Han Contention 楚漢戰爭|楚汉战争[Chu3 Han4 Zhan4 zheng1]

surname He

what / how / why / which / carry

to defeat / to damage / to lose (to an opponent) / to fail / to wither