“打退堂鼓”,汉语俗语,“退堂鼓”原指封建官吏退堂时打鼓(drum announcing adjournment of a court session)。现在比喻做事中途退缩,可以翻译为“beat a retreat,withdraw from”等。例句:现在打退堂鼓为时已晚。 It is too late to back out of the deal.这个计划必须坚持下去,不能打退堂鼓。 The project must go ahead; there is no turning back.