During the Eastern Han Dynasty, a scholar named Lè Yángzi went away to study. After one year, feeling homesick, he returned home early.

When his wife saw him, she cut the silk thread on the loom with a knife. Puzzled, Lè Yángzi asked why. She said,

“Stopping your studies halfway is like cutting the silk threads on a loom.”

Deeply moved, Lè Yángzi went back to continue his studies. Seven years later, he completed his education and returned home.

Let’s review this idiom:

  • Idiom: 半途而废 (Bàn Tú Ér Fèi)
  • Pinyin: bàn tú ér fèi
  • English Translation: give up halfway; leave something unfinished
  • Extended Meaning: Describes the act of stopping a task before it is completed, lacking persistence or determination to finish what one has started.

Character Introduction:

  • Lè Yángzi (乐羊子) — Lè Yángzi was a scholar from the Eastern Han period, whose story teaches the importance of perseverance and seeing things through to the end.