由始至终 (yóu shǐ zhì zhōng) — from start to finish; throughout; all along

Definition

An idiomatic phrase meaning 'from start to finish, throughout' — emphasizes a continuous state or attitude held over the whole course of an event. Functions adverbially, placed before or after the subject.

verb
from start to finishthroughoutall along

Examples

  • 由始至终。
    Tā yóu shǐ zhì zhōng dōu jiān chí zì jǐ de yuán zé.
    He stuck to his principles from beginning to end.
  • ，由始至终。
    Zhěng gè huì yì, tā yóu shǐ zhì zhōng méi yǒu fā yán.
    Throughout the entire meeting, she did not speak.
  • 由始至终。
    Wǒ duì zhè cì hé zuò yóu shǐ zhì zhōng chōng mǎn xìn xīn.
    I have been fully confident in this cooperation from start to finish.

Origin

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

It began as a drawing of new shoots or leaves growing upward from a plant-like base.

Open 由 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
女女nǚwoman
Sound part声符shēngfú
台
台tái始shǐ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

始 is made of 女 (woman) and 台, which gives the sound.

Open 始 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

至 is drawn as an arrow stuck into the ground.

Open 至 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 終; 终 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
冬
冬dōng終zhōng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 終 pairs 糸 (a cord) with 冬 as a sound part; the simplified 终 is a later shorthand. An older form showed a knot at the end of a cord.

Open 终 →

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