Japanese by Example
Learning through examples in manga

All that effort for nothing with 水の泡になる

(みず)(あわ)になる means all the effort put into something becomes for nothing. (みず)(あわ)なる may also be used.

Similar expressions in English include “go up in flames”, “go up in smoke”, “go down the drain”, and “gone to waste”.

Examples

名探偵コナン » Volume 5 » Page 83