jau5 tau4 wai1 mou5 mei5 zan6有頭威，冇尾陣有头威，冇尾阵
Definition
To start off strong but peter out and fail to finish well; to run out of steam after an impressive start.
How it's used
This idiom is a vivid metaphor describing someone who begins a task with high energy or a grand display but fails to follow through to completion. It is frequently used to criticize a lack of perseverance or consistency in work, studies, or personal projects. The contrast between the impressive initial display and the disappointing conclusion makes it a common way to express frustration with someone's reliability.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a simple description of failure, but it specifically emphasizes the contrast between the strong beginning and the weak ending. It is not used for tasks that were difficult from the start, only those that were abandoned halfway through.
Grammar color guide
Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
