一锤定音 yī chuí dìng yīn To decide the tone with one hammer blow

Explanation

这个成语比喻做事干脆，一言九鼎，很快就做出决定。它源于制造铜锣的工艺，最后敲打的一锤决定了锣的音色，所以一锤定音就指凭借一句话就能做出最终决定。

This idiom refers to making a quick and decisive decision. It originates from the process of making gongs, where the last hammer blow determines the gong's tone. So, "一锤定音" means "to decide the tone with one hammer blow", that is, to make a decision that determines everything else.

Origin Story

传说，古代有一位技艺高超的工匠，他负责打造铜锣。每一次敲打铜锣，他都会仔细聆听，仔细琢磨，直到最后敲打的那一锤，才能决定铜锣的音色。那一锤敲下去，音色便定下来了，无法再改变。因此，人们就用“一锤定音”来形容那些能够凭借一句话就做出决定的人。 比如，一位著名的诗人，在一次诗歌比赛中，评委们对参赛诗作的优劣各有不同的看法，无法决定冠军归属。这时，这位诗人站起来，简短地说了一句评语，便立刻让评委们心悦诚服地一致同意，将冠军授予了那位年轻的诗人。 那一句话就像最后一锤敲在了锣上，敲定了最终的音色，也敲定了比赛的结局。

chuán shuō, gǔ dài yǒu yī wèi jì yì gāo chāo de gōng jiàng, tā fù zé dǎ zào tóng luó. měi yī cì qiāo dǎ tóng luó, tā dōu huì xì zhì líng tīng, xì zhì zhuó mó, zhí dào zuì hòu qiāo dǎ de nà yī chuí, cái néng jué dìng tóng luó de yīn sè. nà yī chuí qiāo xià qù, yīn sè biàn dìng xià lái le, wú fǎ zài gǎi biàn. yīn cǐ, rén men jiù yòng 'yī chuí dìng yīn' lái xíng róng nà xiē néng jīng凭借一句话就做出决定的人。 bǐ rú, yī wèi zhù míng de shī rén, zài yī cì shī gē bǐ sài zhōng, píng wěi men duì cān sài shī zuò de yōu liè gè yǒu bù tóng de kàn fǎ, wú fǎ jué dìng guàn jūn guī shǔ. zhè shí, zhè wèi shī rén zhàn qǐ lái, jiǎn duǎn de shuō le yī jù píng yǔ, biàn lì kè ràng píng wěi men xīn yuè chéng fú de yī zhì tóng yì, jiāng guàn jūn shòu yǔ le nà wèi nián qīng de shī rén. nà yī jù huà jiù xiàng zuì hòu chuí qiāo zài le luó shàng, qiāo dìng le zuì zhōng de yīn sè, yě qiāo dìng le bǐ sài de jié jú.

Legend has it that there was a highly skilled craftsman in ancient times who was responsible for making gongs. Every time he struck a gong, he would listen carefully, pondering over it until the final strike, which would determine the gong's tone. The sound was fixed once that final blow was struck, and it could no longer be changed. Therefore, people use the idiom "一锤定音" to describe those who can make decisions with just one sentence. For example, a famous poet, at a poetry contest, the judges had different opinions on the merits of the submitted poems, and they couldn't decide who the champion should be. At this time, the poet stood up and made a short comment, which immediately convinced the judges to unanimously agree to award the championship to the young poet. That sentence was like the final strike on the gong, it set the final tone and also decided the outcome of the competition.

Usage

这个成语常用来比喻在会议、谈判或决策过程中，某个人的一句话或某个观点能够起到关键性的作用，最终决定了事情的结果。

zhè ge chéng yǔ cháng yòng lái bǐ yù zài huì yì, tán pán huò jué cè guò chéng zhōng, mǒu ge rén de yī jù huà huò mǒu ge guān diǎn néng gòu qǐ dào guān jiàn xìng de zuò yòng, zuì zhōng jué dìng le shì qíng de jié guǒ.

This idiom is often used to describe how, during a meeting, negotiation, or decision-making process, a single sentence or viewpoint from someone can play a crucial role and ultimately decide the outcome of the situation.

Examples

• 领导一声令下，马上就一锤定音，决定了项目的最终方案。

  lǐng dǎo yī shēng lìng xià, má shàng jiù yī chuí dìng yīn, jué dìng le xiàng mù de zuì zhōng fāng àn.

  The leader gave the order, and the final project plan was immediately decided.

• 经过反复讨论，我们终于一锤定音，决定明天去郊外踏青。

  jīng guò fǎn fù tǎo lùn, wǒ men zhōng yú yī chuí dìng yīn, jué dìng míng tiān qù jiāo wài tà qīng.

  After repeated discussions, we finally reached an agreement and decided to go for an outing in the suburbs tomorrow.

• 这场辩论赛，最终以他的精彩陈述一锤定音，赢得了比赛。

  zhè chǎng biàn lùn sài, zuì zhōng yǐ tā de jīng cǎi chén shù yī chuí dìng yīn, yíng dé le bǐ sài.

  The debate ended with his impressive speech, which secured the victory.

Related Idioms

• 一槌定音

• 一言九鼎

• 拍板定案

Opposite Idioms

• 犹豫不决

• 优柔寡断

• 举棋不定