有的放矢

yǒudì-fàngshǐ

idiom HSK 7 #84,337

Meanings

1 to have a clear target; to act with purpose
2 to shoot the arrow at the target

Characters

target; bullseye

to release; to shoot

arrow (classical)

Literally 'have a target, then release the arrow' — do things with a clear aim, not randomly.

Examples

做研究要有的放矢，不能盲目。

Zuò yánjiū yào yǒudì-fàngshǐ, bù néng mángmù.

Research should be targeted, not done blindly.

批评要有的放矢，不要笼统。

Pīpíng yào yǒudì-fàngshǐ, bú yào lǒngtǒng.

Criticism should be targeted, not vague.

Tips

history

This idiom was famously used by Mao Zedong in his 1942 essay 'Rectify the Party's Style of Work' to argue against empty theorizing. The opposite is 无的放矢 (shooting arrows without a target — acting without purpose).

Stroke Order

有 yǒu

的 de

放 fàng

矢 shǐ