解铃还须系铃人

解鈴還須繫鈴人

jiělínghuánxūxìlíngrén

idiom

Meanings

1 the one who tied the bell must untie it
2 whoever started the trouble must be the one to end it

Characters

still (classical, = 还是)

to tie / fasten

Examples

这场矛盾是他挑起的，解铃还须系铃人，得让他自己来化解。

Zhè chǎng máodùn shì tā tiǎo qǐ de, jiě líng hái xū xì líng rén, děi ràng tā zìjǐ lái huàjiě.

He started this conflict — whoever tied the bell must untie it — he'll have to resolve it himself.

公司内部的问题解铃还须系铃人，得CEO亲自出面。

Gōngsī nèibù de wèntí jiě líng hái xū xì líng rén, děi CEO qīnzì chūmiàn.

The internal problem at the company needs whoever caused it to fix it — the CEO must step in personally.

Tips

history

From a Song-dynasty Chan Buddhist story recorded in 《林间集》: Master Fayan (法眼) asked his assembly, 'Who can untie the golden bell from a tiger's neck?' No one answered. The young monk Taiqin (泰钦) arrived and replied, 'The one who tied it on must untie it' (系者解得). Commonly phrased today as 解铃还须系铃人 or 解铃还是系铃人.

usage

A go-to phrase for pointing out that the person who created a problem is the one who must solve it. Often used in management, family mediation, and political commentary.

Stroke Order

解 jiě

铃 líng

还 hái

须 xū

系 xì

人 rén