有始无终 yǒu shǐ wú zhōng

start but not finish; no follow-through

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency 63389th word

Definitions

  1. 1. to start but not finish (idiom); to fail to carry things through
  2. 2. lack of sticking power
  3. 3. short attention span

Characters

Character Meaning
有 yǒu HSK 1
to have; there is; there are
始 shǐ HSK 2
to begin; to start; only then
无 wú HSK 4
not; no; not to have
终 zhōng HSK 3
end; finish