📖 Meaning
To satisfy both sides of a situation, achieving the best outcome for everyone involved. It describes a solution or arrangement where two parties both get what they want, leaving neither side shortchanged. The phrase emphasizes harmony and mutual benefit in a dilemma that otherwise forces a trade-off.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom traces back to the Ming dynasty novel 'Xingshi Hengyan' (醒世恒言) by Feng Menglong. In one story, a clever intermediary arranges a marriage that resolves a family conflict, pleasing both the groom's family and the bride's family simultaneously. The phrase became shorthand for any win-win resolution where no compromise diminishes either party.
💡 Example Usage
这个方案既降低了成本，又提高了效率，真是两全其美的好办法。
This plan both cuts costs and boosts efficiency — truly a solution that achieves the best of both worlds.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 两全其美
- Pinyin: liǎng quán qí měi
- Literal Translation: two, complete, its, beauty
- Category: Method
- Characters: 4