八字还没一撇 bā zì hái méi yī piě

DEFINITIONS

  1. lit. there is not even the first stroke of the character 八 (idiom)
  2. fig. things have not even begun to take shape
  3. no sign of success yet

CHARACTERS

八 bā
HSK 1
eight; all around, all sides
字 zì
HSK 1
letter, character, word
还 hái
HSK 2
still, yet, also, besides
没 méi
HSK 1
not, have not, none; drown, sink
一 yī
HSK 1
one; a, an; alone
撇 piě
HSK 6
discard, abandon, throw away