行百里者半九十 xíng bǎi lǐ zhě bàn jiǔ shí

DEFINITIONS

  1. lit. ninety li is merely a half of a hundred li journey (idiom)
  2. fig. the closer one is to completing a task, the tougher it gets
  3. a task is not done until it's done

CHARACTERS

行 xíng
HSK 3
go; walk; move, travel; circulate
百 bǎi
HSK 2
one hundred; numerous, many
里 lǐ
HSK 1
unit of distance; village; lane
者 zhě
HSK 3
that which; he who; those who
半 bàn
HSK 3
half
九 jiǔ
HSK 1
nine
十 shí
HSK 1
ten, tenth; complete; perfect