A proverb meaning that while one general (or leader) achieves glory, thousands of bones dry — i.e., a single person's success often rests on many people's suffering (a warning about the cost of victory).
戦史の講義で教授は一将功成りて万骨枯るという表現を使い、戦争の勝利の陰にある民衆の被害を説明した。
In a military history lecture the professor used the phrase 'one general's success leaves ten thousand bones to dry' to explain the civilian suffering behind wartime victories.
企業の合併でトップだけが利益を得て現場が疲弊したとき、彼は『一将功成りて万骨枯る』と呟いた。
When only the executives benefited from a corporate merger while the workers suffered, he muttered, 'One general wins while ten thousand bones dry.'