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一了百了 (yì liǎo bǎi liǎo) — solving the key problem resolves everything; once the main issue is settled, all subsidiary ones are settled; death ends all troubles (used to express that dying puts an end to worries)

Definition

Literally 'solve one, done a hundred' — once the root problem is fixed, every related issue is settled. The second sense (death ends all troubles) is darker and euphemistic, not the everyday reading.

idiom
solving the key problem resolves everythingonce the main issue is settledall subsidiary ones are settleddeath ends all troubles (used to express that dying puts an end to worries)

Examples

  • ，一了百了。
    Zhǐ yào bǎ zhè ge wèn tí jiě jué le, jiù yì liǎo bǎi liǎo le.
    Once you solve this problem, everything else will fall into place.
  • ，一了百了。
    Tā jué de huó zhe tài tòng kǔ, rèn wéi yì liǎo bǎi liǎo shì zuì hǎo de xuǎn zé.
    He feels life is too painful and thinks death would end all his troubles.
  • ，一了百了，。
    Bié dān xīn, zhè jiàn shì yì liǎo bǎi liǎo, qí tā de zì rán jiù shùn le.
    Don't worry, once this matter is resolved, the rest will naturally work out.

Origin

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

一 is drawn as one horizontal stroke, marking the number one.

Open 一 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

了 was once drawn to show a baby with no arms; some old comments say it showed crossed or tangled legs.

Open 了 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
一一yī
Sound part声符shēngfú
白
白bái百bǎi
Same sound today

百 combines 一, which carries the number meaning, with 白, which provides the sound.

Open 百 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

了 was once drawn to show a baby with no arms; some old comments say it showed crossed or tangled legs.

Open 了 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set Phrases

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