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bàn 半 tú 途 ér 而 fèi 废

半途而废 bàn tú ér fèi

to give up halfway; to leave something unfinished

Literally: half road and abandon

Intermediate 📚 Study & effort
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Origin

From the Book of Rites (Zhongyong): a gentleman follows the Way and does not abandon it halfway, though the writer confesses he himself cannot manage it.

How to use it

Predicate; negative. Often 不能半途而废 or 做事半途而废.

Example sentences

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  1. 学习汉语很难，但是我们不能半途而废。
    Xuéxí Hànyǔ hěn nán, dànshì wǒmen bù néng bàn tú ér fèi.
    Learning Chinese is hard, but we can't give up halfway.
    study Chinese very hard, but we not can half road and abandon
  2. 他做什么事都半途而废，所以一直没有成功。
    Tā zuò shénme shì dōu bàn tú ér fèi, suǒyǐ yīzhí méiyǒu chénggōng.
    He gives up halfway on everything he does, so he has never succeeded.
    he do what thing all half road and abandon, therefore all-along not-have succeed

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