Pèdi ni sak ni krab
Meaning
To lose everything, lose on both sides of a situation, or end up with nothing.
The expression often describes someone whose decision or plan causes them to lose both what they already had and what they hoped to gain.
Possible Translations: To lose everything; to end up with nothing; to lose both ways; to come away empty-handed
Literal Meaning: To lose both the sack and the crabs.
Example 1
Tanpri, di Ti Jo pou l pa kite travay li a toutotan li poko jwenn yon lòt travay. Sinon, li ka pèdi ni sak ni krab.
Please tell Ti Jo not to quit his job until he has found another one. Otherwise, he could end up with nothing.
Example 2
Pa koute mesye sa yo, tande! Pa envesti kòb ou nan magouy sa a. W ap pèdi ni sak ni krab.
Don't listen to those men! Don't invest your money in that scam. You will lose everything.
Losing Both the Container and Its Contents
The expression creates the image of crabs being carried inside a sack. If the crabs escape and the sack is also damaged, the person loses both the contents and the container.
In the same way, someone may make a poor decision while trying to protect something, gain something new, or manage two competing interests. Instead of succeeding, the person loses both.
The expression is not limited to losing money or physical possessions. It can also describe losing two opportunities, relationships, advantages, goals, or other things of value.
For example, someone who leaves a stable job for an uncertain opportunity could lose both the original job and the new opportunity. In that situation, you could say the person pèdi ni sak ni krab.
Although the sack-and-crabs image makes the expression easy to understand, its exact historical origin is uncertain.