📖 Meaning
Literally 'open up the source and regulate the flow,' this idiom means to increase income and reduce expenditure. It advocates a dual strategy of broadening revenue streams while practicing frugality and cutting unnecessary costs.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from the chapter 'Enriching the State' (富国) in the Xunzi, a philosophical classic by the Warring States thinker Xunzi. He argued that a wise ruler must carefully nurture harmony, restrain spending, and open up sources of revenue, periodically assessing and adjusting to ensure the realm has surplus without facing scarcity. The four-character idiom was later crystallized and widely cited, including in the Draft History of the Qing (清史稿).
💡 Example Usage
公司要想走出困境，必须开源节流。
If the company wants to overcome its difficulties, it must increase revenue and cut expenses.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 开源节流
- Pinyin: kāi yuán jié liú
- Literal Translation: open source, restrain flow
- Category: Method
- Characters: 4