A1 Proverb 中性

시작이 반이다.

Sijagi banida.

A start is half the battle.

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Starting is the hardest part; once you begin, you are already halfway to your goal.

  • Means: The initial effort is the most significant hurdle in any task.
  • Used in: Encouraging someone to start a project, exercise, or study routine.
  • Don't confuse: It doesn't mean the work is literally 50% done.
Starting line + First step = 50% progress

Explanation at your level:

This phrase means starting is the hardest part. If you start, you are halfway to finishing.
It is a common proverb used to encourage people. It suggests that the initial effort is the most difficult, and once you overcome that, the rest of the task becomes much easier.
This proverb is used to motivate someone who is procrastinating. It highlights that the psychological barrier to beginning is the most significant obstacle. By starting, you effectively complete half the mental work required for success.
Often used in professional or academic contexts, this phrase serves as a rhetorical device to reduce anxiety about large projects. It frames the act of initiation as a major milestone, thereby making the remaining workload seem more manageable and less daunting.
This proverb functions as a cognitive reframing tool. By asserting that the initiation phase constitutes fifty percent of the total effort, it mitigates the 'paralysis by analysis' phenomenon. It emphasizes the importance of momentum in task completion and is a cornerstone of Korean motivational discourse.
The proverb '시작이 반이다' is a linguistic manifestation of the 'inertia' principle in human behavior. It serves as a pragmatic strategy to overcome the high activation energy required for task initiation. By conceptually equating the start with half the work, it provides a psychological shortcut that encourages immediate action, effectively neutralizing the fear of the unknown that often accompanies the inception of complex projects.

意思

Starting a task or project is the hardest part, and once begun, it's halfway done.

🌍

文化背景

Used frequently in schools and workplaces to combat procrastination. Similar proverbs exist across China and Japan, reflecting shared Confucian values on diligence.

🎯

Use it to motivate

Use this when a friend is nervous about a new challenge.

意思

Starting a task or project is the hardest part, and once begun, it's halfway done.

🎯

Use it to motivate

Use this when a friend is nervous about a new challenge.

自我测试

Complete the proverb.

시작이 ____이다.

✓ 正确！ ✗ 不太对。 正确答案： 반

The proverb is '시작이 반이다'.

🎉 得分： /1

视觉学习工具

常见问题

1 个问题

No, it is a figurative way to say starting is the hardest part.

相关表达

🔗

천 리 길도 한 걸음부터

similar

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

在哪里用

📚

Procrastinating Student

A: 숙제가 너무 많아서 시작하기 싫어.

B: 시작이 반이야! 일단 한 문제만 풀어봐.

informal
💼

New Job

Manager: 새 프로젝트가 걱정되나요?

Employee: 네, 하지만 시작이 반이라고 했으니 열심히 해보겠습니다.

neutral

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Imagine a giant '50%' sign at the starting line of a race.

Visual Association

A person pushing a heavy boulder. Once it starts rolling, it moves on its own.

Rhyme

시작이 반이다, 걱정은 그만이다.

Story

Min-su was scared to write his book. He stared at the blank page for hours. Finally, he wrote one sentence. He smiled and said, '시작이 반이다!' Now he feels the book is already halfway done.

Word Web

시작 (start)반 (half)절반 (half)도전 (challenge)성공 (success)실행 (execution)

挑战

Identify one task you are avoiding and do it for 5 minutes today.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

El que empieza, ya ha hecho la mitad.

Spanish version focuses on the person starting, while Korean focuses on the act itself.

French high

Ce qui est commencé est à moitié fait.

French is slightly more passive in structure.

German moderate

Aller Anfang ist schwer.

German is about the struggle; Korean is about the reward of starting.

Japanese high

始めが半分。

None, they are essentially the same proverb.

Arabic high

البداية هي نصف العمل.

None, the semantic weight is identical.

Easily Confused

시작이 반이다. 对比 작심삼일

Both relate to starting, but one is about success and the other is about failure.

시작이 반이다 is positive; 작심삼일 is negative.

常见问题 (1)

No, it is a figurative way to say starting is the hardest part.

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