虎头蛇尾

虎頭蛇尾
hǔtóu-shéwěi
idiom #34,023

Meanings

  1. 1 tiger's head, snake's tail
  2. 2 to start strong but finish weak
  3. 3 anticlimactic

Examples

HSK 5
Zhè bù diànshìjù qián jǐ jí hěn jīngcǎi, hòumiàn què hǔtóu-shéwěi.
The first few episodes of this series were great, but it fizzled out toward the end.
HSK 7-9
Zuò shìqing bù néng hǔtóu-shéwěi, yào shànshǐ-shànzhōng.
Don't start strong and fizzle out - see things through from beginning to end.

Tips

memory
Picture an animal with a fierce tiger's head but a thin snake's tail - impressive opening, pathetic finish.

Stroke Order

虎 hǔ
头 tóu
蛇 shé
尾 wěi