諺語 · a single proverb
一舉兩得
Simplified: 一举两得
What does 一舉兩得 (yī jǔ liǎng dé) mean?
一舉兩得 (yī jǔ liǎng dé) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "one action, two gains." In use it means: Accomplishing two things with a single effort; efficient doubling of results. 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 Monkey.
Literally: "one action, two gains."
The reading
The hand reached for one apple and the branch dropped two. Efficiency at its most natural: the action was designed for one result and the position happened to deliver a second. This is not luck. This is what happens when you develop the habit of looking at a situation from more than one angle before you act. The second gain is hidden in the angle you almost did not check.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Book of Jin 晉書; common classical expression
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 Wealth, Work & Diligence, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Monkey, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 一舉兩得 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 一舉兩得 (yī jǔ liǎng dé) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Book of Jin 晉書; common classical expression. 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 一舉兩得?
In Mandarin it is yī jǔ liǎng dé. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 一舉兩得 aloud in Mandarin.