有的放矢 yǒu dì fàng shǐ shoot at a target

Explanation

比喻做事或说话有明确的目标，有针对性。

It means to do things or speak with clear goals and target.

Origin Story

话说春秋时期，一位名叫养由基的神箭手，以百步穿杨的技艺闻名于世。一日，他与朋友们在郊外射箭，只见他先仔细观察箭靶，然后稳住身形，张弓搭箭，一箭射出，正中靶心。朋友们纷纷赞叹他的箭术精湛，养由基谦逊地说："射箭要先选准目标，然后才能百发百中。"他随手拿起一颗石子，投掷向远处的树干，石子精准地击中了树干上的一个树洞。朋友们更加惊奇，养由基解释道："不管做什么事情，都要像射箭一样，先选准目标，才能事半功倍，否则便是盲目行事，事倍功半。"

huà shuō chūnqiū shíqí, yī wèi míng jiào yǎng yóujī de shén jiànshǒu, yǐ bǎi bù chuān yáng de jìyì wénmíng yú shì. yī rì, tā yǔ péngyǒumen zài jiāowài shè jiàn, zhǐ jiàn tā xiān zǐxì guāncchá jiànbǎ, ránhòu wěn zhù shēnxíng, zhāng gōng dā jiàn, yī jiàn shè chū, zhèng zhōng bǎxīn. péngyǒumen fēnfēn zàntàn tā de jiànshù jīngzhàn, yǎng yóujī qiānxùn de shuō: 'shè jiàn yào xiān xuǎn zhǔn mùbiāo, ránhòu cáinéng bǎi fā bǎi zhōng.' tā suíshǒu ná qǐ yī kē shítou, tóuzhì xiàng yuǎnchù de shù gàn, shítou jīngzhǔn de jī zhòng le shù gàn shang de yī gè shùdòng. péngyǒumen gèngjiā jīngqí, yǎng yóujī jiěshì dào: 'bùguǎn zuò shénme shìqíng, dōu yào xiàng shè jiàn yīyàng, xiān xuǎn zhǔn mùbiāo, cáinéng shì bàn gōng bèi, fǒuzé biàn shì mángmù xíngshì, shì bèi gōng bàn.

During the Spring and Autumn Period, there was a legendary archer named Yang Youji, famed for his ability to hit a target from a hundred paces. One day, while practicing archery with his friends, he first carefully observed the target, then steadied himself, drew his bow, and loosed an arrow, striking the bullseye. His friends praised his skill, and Yang Youji humbly replied, "Archery requires selecting a target before aiming for accuracy." He then picked up a pebble and threw it towards a distant tree trunk, accurately hitting a hole in the tree. The friends marveled even more, and Yang Youji explained, "No matter what one does, one must choose the target first, like in archery, to achieve maximum efficiency; otherwise, it's blind action, achieving less with greater effort."

Usage

作谓语、定语、宾语、状语；指说话做事有针对性

zuò wèiyǔ, dìngyǔ, bǐnyǔ, zhuàngyǔ; zhǐ shuōhuà zuòshì yǒu zhēnduìxìng

As predicate, attributive, object, adverbial; refers to speaking or doing things with purpose

Examples

• 这次的改革措施，必须有的放矢，切忌盲目蛮干。

  zhè cì de gǎigé cuòshī, bìxū yǒu de fàng shǐ, qiè jì mángmù mángān

  This reform must be targeted, not blindly.

• 教育要有的放矢，因材施教，才能达到最佳效果。

  jiàoyù yào yǒu de fàng shǐ, yīn cái shī jiào, cáinéng dàodá zuì jiā xiàoguǒ

  Education must be targeted and tailored to achieve optimal results.

Related Idioms

• 对症下药

• 有的放矢

Opposite Idioms

• 无的放矢