两全其美

Pronunciation: liǎng quán qí měi Literal meaning: Both complete and beautiful

Origin & Usage

The idiom 两全其美 (liǎng quán qí měi) originates from a story in the Yuan Dynasty, found in the play 《连环计》. It tells of Wang Yun, a court official, who devised a plan to eliminate the tyrant Dong Zhuo. He used his adopted daughter, Diao Chan, to create discord between Dong Zhuo and his formidable foster son, Lü Bu. By promising Diao Chan to both men, Wang Yun ensured that they would turn against each other, ultimately leading to Dong Zhuo's demise. The idiom literally means 'both complete and beautiful' (两, both; 全, complete; 其, its; 美, beautiful), and it describes a situation where a solution benefits all parties involved. In modern usage, it refers to achieving a win-win outcome, where both sides are satisfied.

Examples

English: "The compromise allowed both parties to feel satisfied with the outcome."

Chinese: 这个妥协让双方都能两全其美。