自始至终 (zì shǐ zhì zhōng)

Character breakdown

• 自 (zì) · 6 strokes

  Pictograph of a nose. Original form of 鼻 (nose). In China, when people point to themselves, they typically point to their nose.

• 始 (shǐ) · 8 strokes

  Phonosemantic compound. 女 represents the meaning and 台 represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "elder sister", now written as 姒. The meaning later shifted to "first" and "start".

• 至 (zhì) · 6 strokes

  Pictograph of an arrow hitting its target.

• 终 (zhōng) · 8 strokes

  Simplified form of 終. Phonosemantic compound. 糹 represents the meaning and 冬 represents the sound.

Usage

他自始至终都没有说一句话。

from start to finish (idiom)

tā zì shǐ zhì zhōng dōu méi yǒu shuō yī jù huà 。