事半功倍
- Literal
- half the work, twice the merit
- Figurative
- To get far more done with far less effort, thanks to the right method, the right timing, or the right tool.
Where does 事半功倍 come from?
It comes from a passage in the 《孟子》 where Mencius tells a disciple how easy good government would be in his day. The states were already large and the people had suffered for a long time under bad rulers, so anyone who practiced benevolent rule would achieve a great deal with little: doing half the work of the ancients, the text says, the merit would be double. That line hardened into the fixed phrase, used today for a method or a moment that multiplies what you get out of your effort. Its mirror image also exists, 事倍功半: twice the work for half the result.
Source (出处): 《孟子·公孙丑上》
How is 事半功倍 used? Two examples
- 用对方法学中文，可以事半功倍。
Study Chinese with the right method and you'll get twice the results for half the work.
- 先把需求理清再动手，往往事半功倍。
Sorting out the requirements before you start usually saves you half the work.
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