📖 Meaning
One should diligently pursue things with consistency from start to finish. It stresses the moral duty to see every undertaking through to completion, rather than abandoning it midway. The idiom embodies the Confucian work ethic of perseverance and reliability.
📜 Origin Story
The exact textual origin of this idiom is not recorded in surviving classical sources, though its phrasing aligns with Warring States and Han dynasty philosophical rhetoric. It reflects the broader Confucian emphasis on constancy and follow-through, virtues celebrated in texts such as the Analects and the Doctrine of the Mean. The idiom likely circulated in didactic prose admonishing officials and scholars to complete their duties. Its structure mirrors the parallel-prose style common in Han dynasty exhortations.
💡 Example Usage
做事当务始终，不可半途而废。
When undertaking any task, one should see it through from beginning to end and never give up halfway.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 当务始终
- Pinyin: dang wu shi zhong
- Literal Translation: should, strive, beginning, end
- Category: Perseverance
- Characters: 4