諺語 · a single proverb

一yī不bù做zuò二èr不bù休xiū

yī bù zuò èr bù xiū

What does 一不做二不休 (yī bù zuò èr bù xiū) mean?

一不做二不休 (yī bù zuò èr bù xiū) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "if you do not start, fine; once started, do not stop." In use it means: Once committed to something, see it through completely; half-measures are worse than no action. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Fire note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Tiger.

Literally: "if you do not start, fine; once started, do not stop."

The reading

You are either in or out. The middle ground between commitment and withdrawal is the most expensive real estate in any decision. If you have started the thing, the only direction that makes sense is forward. The way back costs more than the way through.

What kind of proverb it is

Source Tang dynasty; from Zhao Yuanli 趙元禮 story

Sits beside

暗渡陳倉

àn dù chén cāng

Distracting the enemy with an obvious feint while your real move happens elsewhere.

運籌帷幄

yùn chóu wéi wò

Planning masterfully behind the scenes.

不動如山

bù dòng rú shān

Stay firm and steady when everything around you is in chaos.

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 Courage & Decisive Action, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Tiger, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.

Questions

Is 一不做二不休 a real Chinese proverb?

Yes. 一不做二不休 (yī bù zuò èr bù xiū) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Tang dynasty; from Zhao Yuanli 趙元禮 story. 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 一不做二不休?

In Mandarin it is yī bù zuò èr bù xiū. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 一不做二不休 aloud in Mandarin.