靡不有初,鮮克有終 mǐ bù yǒu chū , xiǎn kè yǒu zhōng

few finish what they start; lack perseverance

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. almost everything has a start, but not many things have an end (idiom); don't start sth you can't handle

Characters

Character Meaning
to waste (money); not; extravagant
not; no; (negative prefix)
to have; there is; there are
(at the) beginning; at first; first
fresh; delicious; tasty
to restrain; to subdue; to overthrow
to have; there is; there are
end; finish