story failure perseverance determination

"半途而废" (bàn tú ér fèi) - Giving Up Halfway

半途而废

To give up halfway; to abandon something unfinished.

Origins and Story

The idiom "半途而废" (bàn tú ér fèi) originates from the Book of the Later Han (后汉书). The story involves Yue Yangzi (乐羊子) and his wife. Yue Yangzi once picked up a piece of gold on the road and brought it home. His wife questioned him about where he got it, and when she learned he had picked it up, she told him it wasn't right to keep what belonged to someone else. Ashamed, Yue Yangzi returned the gold.

Later, Yue Yangzi left home to study, but returned after only a year. His wife asked him why he had come back so soon, and he replied that he missed home. His wife then took a knife and cut the fabric she was weaving, explaining that just as cutting the fabric rendered all her previous work useless, abandoning his studies halfway would waste all his previous effort. Yue Yangzi was deeply moved by her words and went back to continue his studies, finally achieving success after many years.

Meaning and Usage

"半途而废" literally translates to "halfway on the road and abandoning (the task)." It means to give up halfway; to abandon something unfinished; to quit before completion. This idiom emphasizes the importance of perseverance and seeing things through to the end.

  • Example: “我们已经努力了这么久，千万不能半途而废。” (“Wǒmen yǐjīng nǔlì le zhème jiǔ, qiānwàn bù néng bàntú’érfèi.”) – “We have worked hard for so long; we must not give up halfway.”

  • Example: “学习任何一门技能都需要持之以恒，否则就会半途而废。” (“Xuéxí rènhé yī mén jìnéng dōu xūyào chízhīyǐhéng, fǒuzé jiù huì bàntú’érfèi.”) – “Learning any skill requires perseverance, otherwise one will give up halfway.”

Cultural Significance of Chéngyǔ (成语)

"半途而废" highlights the Chinese cultural emphasis on:

  • Perseverance and Resilience: This idiom reinforces the importance of perseverance, resilience, and the determination to overcome obstacles.
  • Completing What One Starts: It underscores the value of completing tasks and achieving goals through sustained effort.
  • 有始无终 (yǒu shǐ wú zhōng): To start something but not finish it.
  • 功亏一篑 (gōng kuī yī kuì): To fall short of success for lack of one final effort.