一个巴掌拍不响

一個巴掌拍不響

yīgebāzhǎngpāibùxiǎng

idiom

Meanings

1 one palm alone cannot clap
2 it takes two to tango
3 a dispute is never just one person's fault

Characters

(part of 巴掌) palm

Examples

HSK 3

吵架一个巴掌拍不响，你们都有错。

Chǎojià yīgebāzhǎngpāibùxiǎng, nǐmen dōu yǒu cuò.

It takes two to tango in an argument - you're both at fault.

HSK 4

一个巴掌拍不响，这件事两方都有责任。

Yīgebāzhǎngpāibùxiǎng, zhè jiàn shì liǎng fāng dōu yǒu zérèn.

One hand can't clap - both sides share the blame.

HSK 4

别只怪他，一个巴掌拍不响。

Bié zhǐ guài tā, yīgebāzhǎngpāibùxiǎng.

Don't blame only him - it takes two to tango.

Tips

history

From 《红楼梦》 chapter 58: Xiren says 一个巴掌拍不响，老的也太不公些，小的也太可恶些 - faulting both the elder and the younger in a dispute.

register

Very colloquial, used constantly in everyday arguments and mediation. Can be annoying to hear if you actually are the wronged party - it's the Chinese 'both sides' cliche.

Stroke Order

一 yī

个 gè

巴 bā

掌 zhǎng

拍 pāi

不 bù

响 xiǎng