Tóu sān jiǎo, nán tī; kāiluó xì, nán chàng.

頭三腳難踢, 開鑼戲難唱。

Lit The most difficult [is] to kick the first three kicks [and to] start singing at the very beginning of an opera.

Fig Beginning is the hardest part of doing something.

Note [Note: kāiluó is a theatrical term meaning “to begin the performance”; see also tóu nán, tóu nán above and wànshì qǐtóu nán below.]

Topics BEGINNING DIFFICULTIES FIGHTING SINGING