jau5 tau4 wai1, mou5 tau4 zan6有頭威，冇頭陣有头威，冇头阵

Jyutpingjau5 tau4 wai1, mou5 tau4 zan6

Yaleyáuh tàuh wai1, móuh tàuh jahn

Definition

To start strong but have a weak finish.

colloquialdaily actionswork

How it's used

This idiom describes a situation where someone begins a task with great enthusiasm or momentum but loses interest or fails to complete it properly. It is often used to criticize someone who lacks persistence or discipline. The phrasing highlights the contrast between the initial display of power and the eventual lack of substance or endurance.

Examples

keoi5佢zou6做je5嘢seng4成jat6日jau5有tau4頭wai1威，mou5冇tau4頭zan6陣。

He always starts his work with a bang but fails to follow through.

nei5你m4唔hou2好jau5有tau4頭wai1威，mou5冇tau4頭zan6陣aa1呀。

Don't start off strong and then just give up halfway.

Common phrases

zou6做si6事jau5有tau4頭wai1威，mou5冇tau4頭zan6陣

to do things with a strong start but a weak finish

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for a literal description of a battle or a parade, but it is strictly used to describe personal work habits or project management. Do not use it to describe someone who is physically weak, as it specifically refers to the trajectory of an effort over time.