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打退堂鼓 (dǎ tuì táng gǔ) — to back out of a plan or activity; to beat a retreat; to give up halfway

Definition

An idiom for losing courage and giving up partway through — like 'beat a retreat'. Unlike simply saying 放弃, it specifically implies backing out after losing nerve or confidence, not a calm decision.

verb
to back out of a plan or activityto beat a retreatto give up halfway

Examples

  • 。
    Tā gāng kāi shǐ zuò xiàng mù jiù dǎ le tuì táng gǔ.
    He backed out of the project as soon as he started it.
  • ，打退堂鼓。
    Yù dào kùn nan shí, bú yào qīng yì dǎ tuì táng gǔ.
    When facing difficulties, don't easily back out.
  • 打退堂鼓，。
    Dà jiā dōu xiǎng dǎ tuì táng gǔ, zhǐ yǒu tā jiān chí xià lái le.
    Everyone wanted to back out, but only he persisted.

Origin

Characters in this word

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng打dǎ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

打 uses 扌, a hand, to show an action done with the hand, and 丁 to give the sound.

Open 打 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 皀皀jífood vessel
  • 夊夊suīdownward foot

退 originally showed 皀, a food vessel, with 夊, a downward foot, for leaving the table after eating. In modern 退, the vessel part 皀 changed into an unrelated shape.

Open 退 →

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
土土tǔ
Sound part声符shēngfú
尚
尚shàng堂táng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

堂 uses 土 as a ground/earth part and 尚 for sound.

Open 堂 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 壴壴zhùdrum
  • 支支zhīhand holding drumstick

鼓 combines 壴, a drum, with 支, a hand holding a drumstick, so the character pictures a drum being struck.

Open 鼓 →
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Idioms & Set Phrases

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