八字没一撇

Traditional form:

八字沒一撇

Pinyin (reading):

bāzìméiyīpiě

Definitions:

• lit. there is not even the first stroke of the character 八 (bā) (idiom)
• fig. things have not even begun to take shape
• no sign of success yet

Characters:

• 八 - eight; all around, all sides
• 字 - character, letter, symbol, word
• 没 - not, none, gone; to bury; to sink, to drown
• 一 - one; a, an; alone
• 撇 - to abandon, to discard

Traditional characters:

• 八 - eight; all around, all sides
• 字 - character, letter, symbol, word
• 沒 - not, none, gone; to bury; to sink, to drown
• 一 - one; a, an; alone
• 撇 - to abandon, to discard