开弓没有回头箭 kāi gōng méi yǒu huí tóu jiàn

DEFINITIONS

  1. lit. once you've shot the arrow, there's no getting it back (idiom)
  2. fig. once you started sth, there's no turning back
  3. to have to finish what one started
  4. to be determined to reach one's goals in spite of setbacks

CHARACTERS

开 kāi
HSK 1
open; initiate, begin, start
弓 gōng bow; curved, arched; KangXi radical number 57
没 méi
HSK 1
not, have not, none; drown, sink
有 yǒu
HSK 1
have, own, possess; exist
回 huí
HSK 1
return, turn around; a time
头 tóu
HSK 3
head; top; chief, first; boss
箭 jiàn
HSK 6
arrow; type of bamboo