打退堂鼓 beat a retreat
Explanation
比喻在事情进行到中途时，由于害怕困难或遇到挫折而退缩。
It is a metaphor for shrinking back in the middle of something because of fear of difficulties or setbacks.
Origin Story
话说很久以前，有一个年轻的将军，奉命率领军队去攻打敌人的一个坚固城池。起初，战事进展顺利，将军的军队势如破竹，节节胜利。但当军队攻到城下的时候，却遇到了强烈的抵抗。敌人城墙高耸，工事坚固，士兵们伤亡惨重。将军看到士兵们士气低落，也开始犹豫起来。这时，军师走过来劝将军说：“将军，我们已经取得了这么大的胜利，如果在这个时候打退堂鼓，岂不是前功尽弃？我们一定要坚持下去，才能最终取得胜利！”将军听后，深思熟虑，终于下定决心，鼓舞士气，继续进攻。经过一番激烈的战斗，军队最终攻破了敌人的城池，取得了全面的胜利。
Once upon a time, there was a young general who was ordered to lead his troops to attack a strong enemy city. Initially, the war went smoothly. The general’s army was unstoppable, achieving victory after victory. But when the army reached the city walls, it met fierce resistance. The enemy's city walls were high and fortifications were strong. The soldiers suffered heavy casualties. The general saw his soldiers’ morale falling and began to hesitate. The strategist approached and advised him, "General, we have already won great victories. Giving up now would undo everything. We must persevere for ultimate triumph!" After much thought, the general resolved to encourage his troops and resume the attack. After fierce fighting, the army finally stormed the city, achieving complete victory.
Usage
用作宾语、定语；比喻做事中途退缩。
Used as an object and attributive; metaphorically describes giving up halfway through a task.
Examples
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他本想参加比赛，却在关键时刻打退堂鼓，令人惋惜。
ta ben xiang can jia bisa, que zai guan jian shi ke da tui tang gu, ling ren wan xi.
He originally wanted to participate in the competition, but he chickened out at the critical moment, which is a pity.
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创业初期，很多人都会遇到挫折，但不能因此打退堂鼓，要坚持下去。
chuang ye chu qi, hen duo ren dou hui yu dao cuo zhe, dan bu neng yin ci da tui tang gu, yao jian chi xia qu
In the early stages of a business, many people will encounter setbacks, but they should not give up because of this and must persevere