bàn半halftú途wayér而andfèi废abandon
To give up halfway; to leave something unfinished.
Literal meaning
half (半) — way (途) — and (而) — abandon (废)
Origin
A classical four-character phrase that warns against abandoning tasks before completion.
Examples
Xuéxí bùnéng bàntú'érfèi.学习不能半途而废。
You can't give up halfway through learning.
Tā zuòshì zǒngshì bàntú'érfèi.他做事总是半途而废。
He always leaves things unfinished.
Usage & nuances
Often used to encourage perseverance and discourage quitting.
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