虎头蛇尾
虎头蛇尾 (hǔ tóu shé wěi) literally means “tiger head snake tail” and expresses “strong start with weak finish”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving success and perseverance.
Also searched as: hu tou she wei, hu tou she wei,虎头蛇尾 meaning, 虎头蛇尾 in english
Strong start with weak finish
Pronunciation: hǔ tóu shé wěi Literal meaning: Tiger head snake tail
Origin & Usage
A tiger's head (虎头) on a snake's tail (蛇尾). The mismatch is the argument, and it is precise about the failure: the beginning was not merely good but imposing, which is what makes the ending conspicuous. Chinese distinguishes this from abandoning something outright — the snake's tail is still a tail, so the thing was finished, just feebly. It is the standard verdict on campaigns, television series and reform programmes that opened loudly.
Examples
English: "The novel began with dramatic intensity but ended with a weak, rushed conclusion"
Chinese: 这部小说开头激烈，但以弱且仓促的结尾收场
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about success & perseverance
画蛇添足
huà shé tiān zú
Ruin by adding extras
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杯弓蛇影
bēi gōng shé yǐng
Needlessly suspicious
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有头无尾
yǒu tóu wú wěi
Started but never finished
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如虎添翼
rú hǔ tiān yì
Add to one's strength; become even more powerful
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两虎相争
liǎng hǔ xiāng zhēng
Fierce competition between equals
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三人成虎
sān rén chéng hǔ
Repeated lie becomes truth
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骑虎难下
qí hǔ nán xià
Unable to stop dangerous course
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马马虎虎
mǎ mǎ hǔ hǔ
Just so-so or passable quality
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 虎头蛇尾 mean in English?
虎头蛇尾 (hǔ tóu shé wěi) literally translates to “Tiger head snake tail” and is used to express “Strong start with weak finish”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Success & Perseverance category.
When is 虎头蛇尾 used?
Situation: The novel began with dramatic intensity but ended with a weak, rushed conclusion
What is the pinyin for 虎头蛇尾?
The pinyin pronunciation for 虎头蛇尾 is “hǔ tóu shé wěi”.