Korean Dictionary
How to say "Well Begun is Half Done" in Korean
“Well Begun is Half Done” in Korean is 시작이 반이다 (pronounced "Sijagi Banida").
시작이 반이다
Sijagi Banida
Usage & Context
This Korean proverb means that starting a task is the most important step. It encourages people to begin difficult tasks rather than procrastinating.
Example Sentence
어려운 일도 시작이 반이니까 일단 시작해 봐요.
Even for difficult things, well begun is half done, so let's start.
How to use 시작이 반이다 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Well Begun is Half Done” is 시작이 반이다, romanized as Sijagi Banida.
Usage tip
Learn this word together with a complete Korean sentence. Meaning often depends on particles, politeness level, and word order.
Common mistake
Do not rely only on the English meaning. Read the Korean example sentence and notice the particles, word order, and politeness level around 시작이 반이다.
Pronunciation Guide
Pronounced 'shi-jak-i ban-i-da'. '시작이' sounds like 'shee-jah-gi' (the ㄱ links into the next syllable). '반이다' is 'ban-ee-da' with a short flat 'a'.
More Example Sentences
encouraging a friend
시작이 반이다라는 말처럼, 일단 시작해 봐.
Like the saying goes, just start — it's half the battle.
new year resolution
운동, 시작이 반이라고 오늘 헬스장 등록했어요.
They say well begun is half done, so I signed up at the gym today.
helping someone procrastinating
시작이 반이니까 첫 페이지만 써 봐.
Well begun is half done — just try writing the first page.
Cultural Context
This is one of the most quoted proverbs (속담) in modern Korean, regularly used by bosses, teachers, and parents to push someone past hesitation. It's also a go-to motivational phrase in self-help books and on Instagram captions. The nuance is 'just starting is already huge progress' — Koreans deploy it specifically against procrastination paralysis.
Editorial note
We review entries like 시작이 반이다 for pronunciation, example sentence fit, and learner mistakes so the page answers more than a direct dictionary lookup.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
시작이 반이야.
Well begun is half done. (casual)
일단 시작해 봐.
Just try starting first.
첫걸음이 중요해요.
The first step matters.
Related Expressions
속담
sokdam
proverb
시작
sijak
beginning, start
일단
ildan
first of all, for now
첫걸음
cheotgeoreum
first step
More Idioms & Proverbs Words
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