半途而废

Pronunciation: bàn tú ér fèi Literal meaning: Abandon halfway through journey

Origin & Usage

This unfinished idiom describes abandoning (废) a journey midway (半途), originating from Han Dynasty Confucian texts on perseverance. It first appeared in discussions about moral cultivation, emphasizing the importance of completing what one begins. During the Tang Dynasty, it gained prominence in educational contexts, where scholars used it to encourage students through difficult periods of study. The specific imagery of a half-completed journey resonated deeply in Chinese culture, where pilgrimages and scholarly travel often involved considerable hardship. Modern usage criticizes giving up before completion, particularly after significant investment of time and effort, suggesting that abandoning endeavors midway wastes both previous effort and potential achievement.

Examples

English: "After months of training, she quit just weeks before the competition"

Chinese: 经过数月的训练，她在比赛前几周就放弃了