半途而废

• 拼音: bàn tú ér fèi
• 汉字拆解: 半 = half; 途 = journey/road; 而 = and then; 废 = to abandon/waste

含义

To give up halfway; to leave something unfinished; to abandon midway.

A classical idiom criticizing the act of giving up before completing something. Implies lack of perseverance and is generally used as a warning or criticism.

例句

1. 学语言最忌讳半途而废，必须坚持到底。
2. 他做事总是半途而废，从来没有一件事做到底。
3. 创业这条路很难走，但绝不能半途而废。

用法指南

语境: encouragement, criticism

语气: admonishing

正确说法

• 千万别半途而废。(Whatever you do, don't give up halfway.)
• 坚持下去，不要半途而废。(Keep going — don't quit midway.)

错误说法

• 用'半途而废'形容明智的及时止损 (Don't use 半途而废 for wise decisions to cut losses — it implies negative abandonment)

起源与历史

From classical Chinese: 半途 (halfway) + 而 (and then) + 废 (to abandon). To abandon something in the middle of the journey.

文化背景

时代: Classical idiom

世代: All ages

社会背景: Universal