打退堂鼓
dǎ​tuì​táng​gǔ

to give up

dǎ​tuì​táng​gǔ to give up
  1. 打 dǎ verb
    to hit
    to strike; to knock; to beat; to break
  2. 退堂鼓 tuì​táng​gǔ
    withdrawal
    Metaphor for giving up, losing heart, or backing out of a commitment mid-way; often used in the phrase 打退堂鼓 dǎ​tuì​táng​gǔ

dǎ​tuì​táng​gǔ to beat the return drum
  1. 打 dǎ verb
    to hit
    to strike; to knock; to beat; to break
  2. 退堂鼓 tuì​táng​gǔ
    court-recess drum
    Drumming that signals an official's withdrawal from court after a legal session in ancient China