諺語 · a single proverb
善始善終
Simplified: 善始善终
What does 善始善終 (shàn shǐ shàn zhōng) mean?
善始善終 (shàn shǐ shàn zhōng) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "good beginning and good ending." In use it means: Do things well from start to finish; consistency of quality matters throughout. 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 Dog.
Literally: "good beginning and good ending."
The reading
Starting well is common. Ending well is rare. The person who maintains the same care at the finish that they brought to the start has done something that most projects, relationships, and careers never manage. The ending is the part people remember.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Zuozhuan 左傳; common literary 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 Dog, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 善始善終 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 善始善終 (shàn shǐ shàn zhōng) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Zuozhuan 左傳; common literary 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 善始善終?
In Mandarin it is shàn shǐ shàn zhōng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 善始善終 aloud in Mandarin.