半途而废 bàntú’érfèi to give up halfway (idiom)
to give up halfway (idiom); leave something unfinished
How to remember 半途而废: 半 half + 途 way + 而 and yet + 废 to terminate = to give up halfway (idiom).
Characters
How it is used
- To give up halfway, leaving something unfinished - 做事不能半途而废 (zuò shì bùnéng bàntú'érfèi) don't quit things midway.
- Set idiom, mildly critical; stresses failure to see a task through.
- Opposite spirit: 坚持到底 (persist to the end) - 要坚持到底 (yào jiānchí dàodǐ) see it through.
Example sentences
- 半途而废是你所能做的最糟糕的事情。 Bàntúérfèi shì nǐ suǒ néng zuò de zuì zāogāo de shìqíng.Leaving something unfinished is the worst thing you can do.