📖 Meaning
Literally meaning to shoot an arrow without having a target. It is a metaphor for speaking or acting without a clear purpose, or for doing something that does not address the actual situation. The phrase emphasizes the futility of actions that lack direction or relevance.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom does not trace back to a specific classical text or historical anecdote. It is a modern idiom constructed from archery imagery, directly contrasting with the phrase 有的放矢 (to shoot at a target). It gained prominence through political and intellectual discourse in the 20th century, notably appearing in Mao Zedong's 1941 essay 'Reform Our Study,' where he criticized intellectual work that lacked practical direction. The idiom draws on the universal metaphor of archery to convey purposelessness.
💡 Example Usage
写文章要有的放矢，不能无的放矢，否则读者看不懂你想说什么。
When writing, one must have a clear target in mind; shooting arrows without a target only leaves readers confused about what you are trying to say.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 无的放矢
- Pinyin: wú dì fàng shǐ
- Literal Translation: without, target, shoot, arrow
- Category: Method
- Characters: 4