# 虎头蛇尾

hǔ tóu shé wěi

Start strongly but finish weakly

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** A tiger's head and a snake's tail

**Traditional Chinese:** 虎頭蛇尾

**Register:** Critical · general

[Effort & growth](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/effort)

## When to use it

Criticize work that loses quality or effort.

Concerns uneven execution, not every failure.

## Understanding the expression

A tiger's impressive head promises strength, but a snake's thin tail gives the whole creature an unexpected weak ending. The expression compares that mismatch to work begun with energy and care but completed poorly. It suits projects, stories, plans, or habits that lose momentum. The ending matters because it fails to match the opening. A consistently modest effort is different from one that makes a strong initial promise and fades.

## Examples

计划不能虎头蛇尾。

### Traditional Chinese

計劃不能虎頭蛇尾。

jì huà bù néng hǔ tóu shé wěi 。

The plan must not start well and finish poorly.

这部剧虎头蛇尾，结局仓促。

### Traditional Chinese

這部劇虎頭蛇尾，結局倉促。

zhè bù jù hǔ tóu shé wěi ， jié jú cāng cù 。

The drama starts strongly but ends hastily.

他健身总是虎头蛇尾。

### Traditional Chinese

他健身總是虎頭蛇尾。

tā jiàn shēn zǒng shì hǔ tóu shé wěi 。

His exercise efforts always begin strongly and then fade.

团队补做收尾，避免虎头蛇尾。

### Traditional Chinese

團隊補做收尾，避免虎頭蛇尾。

tuán duì bǔ zuò shōu wěi ， bì miǎn hǔ tóu shé wěi 。

The team improved the final work to avoid a weak ending.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 6, 2026.

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E8%99%8E%E9%A0%AD%E8%9B%87%E5%B0%BE)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=129&webMd=1&la=0)

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