bun3 tou4 ji4 fai3半途而廢半途而废
Jyutpingbun3 tou4 ji4 fai3
Yalebun tòuh yìh fai
Definition
To give up halfway; to leave something unfinished.
colloquialdaily actions
How it's used
Carries a strong sense of disapproval or disappointment, often used to criticize someone for lacking persistence. It is a four character idiom that functions as a verb phrase in casual speech. While it is formal in origin, it is frequently used in everyday conversation to warn others against quitting.
Examples
Don't give up halfway when doing things.
Why are you giving up halfway?
Related words
Common phrases
to give up halfway through a task
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use this as an adjective to describe a person, but it is strictly a verb phrase describing the action of quitting. It cannot be used to describe a person who is a quitter.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
