nhứt bất tố, nhị bất hưu
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
First, don't start; second, don't stop — begin nothing, or finish everything.
Literally: one: don't do; two: don't cease
Examples
Đã nhúng tay thì làm tới, nhứt bất tố nhị bất hưu.Once your hand is in, see it through — don't start, or don't stop.
Editorial example (VI sweep batch 040, illustrative)
Sources & notes
Discovered via Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897; public domain, via vi.wikisource); retrieved 2026-08-01. Source: source ↗ Attested in Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897). Definition is an original editorial synthesis, not copied from the source.
Common questions
What does “nhứt bất tố, nhị bất hưu” mean?
First, don't start; second, don't stop — begin nothing, or finish everything. Literally: one: don't do; two: don't cease
Is “nhứt bất tố, nhị bất hưu” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.