諺語 · a single proverb
半斤八兩
Simplified: 半斤八两
What does 半斤八兩 (bàn jīn bā liǎng) mean?
半斤八兩 (bàn jīn bā liǎng) is a colloquial saying (súyǔ 俗語). Word for word it reads "half a jin and eight liang." In use it means: Two things that are equally bad or equally matched. Neither one is better than the other. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Metal note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Ox.
Literally: "half a jin and eight liang."
The reading
In the old system, one jin was sixteen liang. Half a jin is eight liang. They are the same weight, described differently. When you say two options are half-jin-eight-liang, you are saying: stop pretending there is a choice. They are the same thing wearing different labels.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Folk proverb; based on traditional Chinese weight system
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Wisdom & Learning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Ox, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Tiger.
Questions
Is 半斤八兩 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 半斤八兩 (bàn jīn bā liǎng) is a colloquial saying (súyǔ 俗語), and it comes from Folk proverb; based on traditional Chinese weight system. It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 半斤八兩?
In Mandarin it is bàn jīn bā liǎng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 半斤八兩 aloud in Mandarin.