| 有始有终 | you3 shi3 you3 zhong1 | to carry things through |
| 善始善终 | shan4 shi3 shan4 zhong1 | to carry things through |
| 兰因絮果 | lan2 yin1 xu4 guo3 | starts well but ends in separation (of marital relations) |
| 吴头楚尾 | wu2 tou2 chu3 wei3 | head-to-tail |
| 时写时辍 | shi2 xie3 shi2 chuo4 | to write in fits and starts |
| 有头有尾 | you3 tou2 you3 wei3 | complete |
| 三天打鱼，两天晒网 | san1 tian1 da3 yu2 liang3 tian1 shai4 wang3 | to do sth by fits and starts |
| 凡事总有一个开头 | fan2 shi4 zong3 you3 yi1 ge5 kai1 tou2 | Everything starts somewhere. |
| 凡事总有开头 | fan2 shi4 zong3 you3 kai1 tou2 | Everything starts somewhere. |
| 着手成春 | zhuo2 shou3 cheng2 chun1 | to bring back the dead |
| 著手成春 | zhuo2 shou3 cheng2 chu2 | to bring back the dead |