📖 Meaning
To weigh the relative lightness and heaviness of things. It metaphorically means to compare the relative importance, pros and cons, or gains and losses of different options before making a decision. It emphasizes careful consideration and balanced judgment.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom traces back to two classical texts. In "Zhuangzi: Qu Qie" (庄子·胠箧), it is written that weights and balances were created to measure things. The "Huainanzi: Taizu Xun" (淮南子·泰族训) states that when one wishes to know what is light and what is heavy but has no tool, providing a balance brings joy. The term "权衡" originally referred to the sliding weight and the balance beam used for weighing, while "轻重" meant light and heavy. Over time, the phrase evolved into a metaphor for comparing the relative importance of gains and losses in decision-making.
💡 Example Usage
做决策时要权衡轻重，不能只看眼前利益。
When making decisions, one must weigh the relative importance of matters and not focus only on short-term gains.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 权衡轻重
- Pinyin: quán héng qīng zhòng
- Literal Translation: weight, balance, light, heavy
- Category: Wisdom
- Characters: 4