权衡轻重 quán héng qīng zhòng weigh the pros and cons

Explanation

权衡轻重指衡量事情的轻重缓急、利害得失，做出恰当的选择。它强调的是在面对多个选择时，要理性分析，比较优劣，做出最符合自身利益和目标的决策。

Weighing the pros and cons refers to measuring the urgency and the advantages and disadvantages of a matter, and making an appropriate choice. It emphasizes that when faced with multiple choices, one should rationally analyze, compare advantages and disadvantages, and make a decision that is most in line with one's own interests and goals.

Origin Story

话说唐朝时期，有个名叫李白的才子，他虽才华横溢，但性格有些散漫。一日，皇上命他写一首关于秋天的诗，并要求在三天之内交稿。李白接到圣旨后，并没有立即动笔，而是漫步在皇宫的花园里，欣赏着秋日的景色。他一边赏景，一边思考着如何将秋天的意境融入诗中。他看到落叶飘零，想到人生短暂；他看到秋风瑟瑟，想到时光流逝；他看到秋菊傲霜，想到生命的坚韧。就这样，李白在赏景的过程中，不知不觉地权衡着诗歌的各种元素，考虑着如何将这些元素巧妙地结合起来，最终创作出一首传世佳作。

huà shuō táng cháo shíqí, yǒu gè míng jiào lǐ bái de cáizǐ, tā suī cáihuá héngyì, dàn xìnggé yǒuxiē sǎnmàn. yī rì, huángshàng mìng tā xiě yī shǒu guānyú qiūtiān de shī, bìng yāoqiú zài sān tiān zhīnèi jiāogǎo. lǐ bái jiē dào shèng zhǐ hòu, bìng méiyǒu lìjí dòng bǐ, ér shì màn bù zài huánggōng de huāyuán lǐ, xīn shǎngzhe qiū rì de jǐngsè. tā yībiān shǎngjǐng, yībiān sīkāozhe rúhé jiāng qiūtiān de yìjìng róng rù shī zhōng. tā kàn dào luòyè piāolíng, xiǎng dào rénshēng duǎnzàn; tā kàn dào qiūfēng sè sè, xiǎng dào shíguāng liúsì; tā kàn dào qiū jú ào shuāng, xiǎng dào shēngmìng de jiānrèn. jiù zhèyàng, lǐ bái zài shǎngjǐng de guòchéng zhōng, bù zhī bù jué de quán héngzhe shīgē de gè zhǒng yuánsù, kǎolǜzhe rúhé jiāng zhèxiē yuánsù qiǎomiào de jiéhé qǐlái, zuìzhōng chuàngzuò chū yī shǒu chuánshì jiāzuò.

During the Tang Dynasty, there was a talented man named Li Bai, who, although gifted, was somewhat unorganized. One day, the emperor ordered him to write a poem about autumn and required it to be submitted within three days. After receiving the imperial edict, Li Bai did not immediately start writing. Instead, he strolled through the imperial garden, appreciating the autumn scenery. As he enjoyed the view, he pondered how to incorporate the atmosphere of autumn into his poem. He saw falling leaves and thought of the brevity of life; he heard the rustling autumn wind and thought of the passage of time; he saw the chrysanthemums blooming in the frost and thought of the tenacity of life. In this way, while appreciating the scenery, Li Bai unconsciously weighed various elements of the poem, considering how to skillfully combine them, and ultimately created a timeless masterpiece.

Usage

权衡轻重可以作谓语、宾语，用于比较事物的主次、得失。

quán héng qīng zhòng kěyǐ zuò wèiyǔ, bǐnyǔ, yòng yú bǐjiào shìwù de zhǔcì, dé shī

Weighing the pros and cons can be used as a predicate or object to compare the primary and secondary aspects, gains and losses of things.

Examples

• 在做任何决定之前，我们都应该权衡轻重，仔细考虑各种因素的影响。

  zài zuò rènhé juédìng zhīqián, wǒmen dōu yīnggāi quán héng qīng zhòng, zǐxì kǎolǜ gè zhǒng yīnsù de yǐngxiǎng

  Before making any decision, we should always weigh the pros and cons and carefully consider the impact of various factors.

• 面对复杂的局势，他能够冷静地权衡轻重，做出最有利的选择。

  miàn duì fùzá de júshì, tā nénggòu língjìng de quán héng qīng zhòng, zuò chū zuì yǒulì de xuǎnzé

  Faced with a complex situation, he can calmly weigh the pros and cons and make the most favorable choice.

• 学习中也要权衡轻重，把时间用在刀刃上

  xuéxí zhōng yě yào quán héng qīng zhòng, bǎ shíjiān yòng zài dāorèn shàng

  In learning, we should also weigh the pros and cons and focus our time on what is most important

Related Idioms

• 权衡利弊

• 利弊得失

Opposite Idioms

• 轻率

• 草率