📖 Meaning
A philosophical expression meaning "one divides into two." It holds that everything is a unity of opposites, containing two mutually contradictory yet interdependent aspects. In common usage it means viewing a person or matter comprehensively—seeing both the positive and the negative sides.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom has no single classical source but reflects a concept rooted in ancient Chinese dialectical thought. The idea that unity contains opposition appears in early philosophical traditions such as the Yin-Yang school and Daoist writings. In modern times the phrase was popularized through the study of dialectical materialism, becoming a stock expression for analyzing things by their two opposing facets. It emphasizes that any unified whole inherently contains contradictions that drive change and development.
💡 Example Usage
我们要一分为二地看问题，既要看到成绩，也要看到不足。
We should look at problems dialectically, recognizing both our achievements and our shortcomings.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 一分为二
- Pinyin: yī fēn wéi èr
- Literal Translation: one, divide, into, two
- Category: Philosophy
- Characters: 4