其作始也简

其作始也簡

qízuòshǐyějiǎn

phrase

Meanings

1 its beginnings are simple
2 great things start small
3 (lit.) at its inception, it is modest

Characters

(classical pause particle)

simple / modest

Examples

其作始也简，其将毕也必巨——任何伟大的事业都是从小做起的。

Qí zuò shǐ yě jiǎn, qí jiāng bì yě bì jù — rènhé wěidà de shìyè dōu shì cóng xiǎo zuòqǐ de.

'It begins simply, and will end grandly' — every great enterprise starts from small beginnings.

这家公司其作始也简，如今已是行业龙头。

Zhè jiā gōngsī qí zuò shǐ yě jiǎn, rújīn yǐ shì hángyè lóngtóu.

This company had humble beginnings, yet today it leads the industry.

Tips

history

From 《庄子·人间世》: 其作始也简，其将毕也必巨。(What begins in simplicity must end in grandeur.) Zhuangzi uses it to describe the natural growth of any undertaking — small causes lead to enormous consequences. Mao Zedong famously quoted it in 1956 at the 8th Party Congress.

usage

Always paired with 其将毕也必巨 as a couplet. The 也 here is a classical particle marking a pause, not the modern 'also.'

Stroke Order

其 qí

作 zuò

始 shǐ

也 yě

简 jiǎn