亡羊得牛
亡羊得牛 (wáng yáng dé niú) literally means “lose a sheep, gain an ox” and expresses “a small loss that yields a greater gain”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: wang yang de niu, wang yang de niu,亡羊得牛 meaning, 亡羊得牛 in english
A small loss that yields a greater gain
Pronunciation: wáng yáng dé niú Literal meaning: Lose a sheep, gain an ox
Origin & Usage
From 《淮南子·说山训》: to lose (亡) a sheep (羊) and gain (得) an ox (牛) is a loss no one would refuse. The phrase is the optimistic twin of the far better-known 亡羊补牢, and it makes a different argument — not that damage can be repaired, but that a loss can be the price of something larger, and that the accounting only makes sense once you can see both sides of it. It is a useful thing to say to someone still grieving the sheep, and a dangerous thing to say too early, before the ox has actually arrived.
Examples
English: "Losing the small account freed the team for the one that mattered."
Chinese: 这次调整看似损失，其实亡羊得牛。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
歧路亡羊
qí lù wáng yáng
Too many choices lead nowhere
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亡羊补牢
wáng yáng bǔ láo
Never too late to fix
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羊肠小道
yáng cháng xiǎo dào
A narrow, winding, difficult road
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羚羊挂角
líng yáng guà jiǎo
Artistry that leaves no trace
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羊质虎皮
yáng zhì hǔ pí
Imposing outside, timid within
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虎入羊群
hǔ rù yáng qún
Unstoppable force against the defenceless
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挂羊头卖狗肉
guà yáng tóu mài gǒu ròu
Advertise one thing and deliver another
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顺手牵羊
shùn shǒu qiān yáng
Exploit small opportunities
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 亡羊得牛 mean in English?
亡羊得牛 (wáng yáng dé niú) literally translates to “Lose a sheep, gain an ox” and is used to express “A small loss that yields a greater gain”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 亡羊得牛 used?
Situation: Losing the small account freed the team for the one that mattered.
What is the pinyin for 亡羊得牛?
The pinyin pronunciation for 亡羊得牛 is “wáng yáng dé niú”.
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