📖 Meaning
This idiom metaphorically refers to a monogamous marriage, with one husband and one wife growing old together. It conveys the ideal of marital fidelity and lifelong commitment between a single couple, drawn from the imagery of one horse fitted with exactly one saddle.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from Chapter 40 of 'Ernü Yingxiong Zhuan' (Tales of Heroic Sons and Daughters) by Wen Kang of the Qing Dynasty. The passage discusses how everyone has their own aspirations that cannot be forced upon them. While some women seek matches based on talent and beauty, others simply desire a stable, devoted life with one partner — symbolized by 'one horse, one saddle.' The phrase uses the imagery of a single horse paired with a single saddle to represent marital exclusivity and lifelong devotion.
💡 Example Usage
她信奉一马一鞍的道理，与丈夫相伴一生。
She believed in the principle of one partner for life, and stayed with her husband until the end.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 一马一鞍
- Pinyin: yī mǎ yī ān
- Literal Translation: one horse, one saddle
- Category: Morality
- Characters: 4