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多此一举 (duō cǐ yī jǔ) — to do something superfluous or unnecessary; (idiom) an unnecessary move

Definition

A four-character idiom meaning an action that is redundant and pointless — 'an unnecessary move.' Often used to criticize wasted effort, e.g. 他已经道歉了，你再责怪他真是多此一举.

idiom
to do something superfluous or unnecessaryan unnecessary move

Examples

  • 多此一举。
    Nǐ zhè yàng zuò zhēn shì duō cǐ yī jǔ.
    What you did is truly unnecessary.
  • ，多此一举。
    Zhè jiàn gōng zuò yǐ jīng wán chéng le, nǐ zài zuò jiù shì duō cǐ yī jǔ.
    This task is already done; doing more would be superfluous.
  • ，多此一举。
    Tā yǐ jīng dào qiàn le, nǐ zài zé guài tā fǎn ér duō cǐ yī jǔ.
    He already apologized; blaming him further is unnecessary.

Origin

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

多 originally showed two pieces of meat placed together; the repeated meat shape gives the sense of many.

Open 多 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

此 shows 止 (feet) and 人 (person), drawing a person stopping, to mean 'this' or 'here.'

Open 此 →

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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 舉; 举 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
與
與yǔ舉jǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 舉 pairs 與, which gives the sound, with 手, a hand; the simplified 举 is a later shorthand.

Open 举 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set Phrases

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