一字千钧 yi zi qian jun A word weighs a thousand pounds

Explanation

钧:古代重量单位,一钧等于三十斤。形容文字的分量很重,很有力量。

Jūn: an ancient Chinese unit of weight, one jūn equaled thirty jin. It describes the great importance and effect of characters.

Origin Story

话说唐朝诗人李白,诗才横溢,名震天下。一日,他应邀为一位富商作诗,富商对李白非常敬重,承诺以千金的价格购买李白创作的一首诗歌。李白欣然应允,提笔挥毫,不多时便写成一首诗,诗中字字珠玑,句句千钧。富商看完后,连连称赞,并如约支付了千金。但李白却说,这诗歌的价值远不止千金,而是千钧之重,因为它蕴含着深刻的哲理,对社会和人生都有着重要的启示。从此,“一字千钧”就成为了人们形容文章或言语分量很重的典故。

hua shuo tang chao shi ren li bai shi cai heng yi ming zhen tian xia yi ri ta ying yao wei yi wei fu shang zuo shi fu shang dui li bai fei chang jing zhong cheng nuo yi qian jin de jia ge gou mai li bai chuang zuo de yi shou shi ge li bai xin ran ying yun ti bi hui hao bu duo shi bian xie cheng yi shou shi shi zhong zi zi zhu ji ju ju qian jun fu shang kan wan hou lian lian cheng zan bing ru yue zhi fu le qian jin dan li bai que shuo zhe shi ge de jia zhi yuan bu zhi qian jin er shi qian jun zhi zhong yin wei ta yun han zhe shen ke de zhe li dui she hui he ren sheng dou you zhe zhong yao de qishi cong ci yi zi qian jun jiu cheng wei le ren men xing rong wen zhang huo yan yu fen liang hen zhong de diang gu

It is said that Li Bai, a poet of the Tang Dynasty, whose poetic talent was outstanding and whose name echoed throughout the country, was once invited by a wealthy merchant to write a poem. The merchant respected Li Bai very much and promised to pay him a thousand gold pieces for a poem. Li Bai happily agreed and wrote a poem in a short time, whose words were like pearls strung together and whose sentences weighed a thousand pounds. After the merchant read the poem, he praised it highly and paid a thousand gold pieces as promised. However, Li Bai said that the value of the poem was far more than a thousand gold pieces, but as heavy as a thousand pounds, because it contained profound philosophy and had important implications for society and life. From that day on, “a word weighs a thousand pounds” became an idiom describing the great value and great effect of texts or words.

Usage

用于形容语言文字的分量很重,很有力量。

yong yu xing rong yuyan wenzi de fen liang hen zhong hen you liliang

Used to describe that language or writing is very weighty and influential.

Examples

  • 这篇社论,一字千钧,掷地有声。

    zhe pian she lun yi zi qian jun zhi di you sheng

    This editorial is weighty and impressive.

  • 他的讲话,一字千钧,发人深省。

    ta de jianghua yi zi qian jun fa ren shenxing

    His speech was thoughtful and meaningful, every word carried weight.