諺語 · a single proverb
半途而廢
Simplified: 半途而废
What does 半途而廢 (bàn tú ér fèi) mean?
半途而廢 (bàn tú ér fèi) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "abandoning the task halfway through." In use it means: Giving up before finishing; the waste that comes from starting something and not following through. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Earth note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Goat.
Literally: "abandoning the task halfway through."
The reading
Half a bridge connects nothing. Half a well produces no water. The effort invested in the first half is not saved when you quit. It is spent and unrecoverable. The only way to honor the work you already did is to finish the work you have not done yet.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Book of Rites 禮記, Zhongyong 中庸; common idiom
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Perseverance & the Long Road, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Goat, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 半途而廢 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 半途而廢 (bàn tú ér fèi) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Book of Rites 禮記, Zhongyong 中庸; common idiom. It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 半途而廢?
In Mandarin it is bàn tú ér fèi. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 半途而廢 aloud in Mandarin.