PhraseNinja

Yojijukugo

Japanese meaning of 一石二鳥

Reading:

いっせきにちょう (isseki nichou)

English Translation:

Kill two birds with one stone

Meaning & Cultural Context

Meaning:

To accomplish two different objectives with a single action, making efficient use of time or resources. For example, exercising while commuting by bicycle both improves health and saves transportation costs.
日本語で読む
一つの行動や工夫で複数の目的を同時に達成すること。たとえば自転車通勤をすれば、運動不足の解消と交通費の節約が両立できるというような、効率的なやり方を指します。

Cultural Context:

Originally from a Chinese proverb recorded in classical literature, the phrase became established in Japanese during the Edo period. Today, it is used in business presentations, study tips, and lifestyle advice, often as a positive rhetorical device. English has a direct equivalent (“kill two birds with one stone”), but in Japan the nuance can also suggest clever planning.
日本語で読む
もとは中国の故事成語に由来し、日本には江戸時代の文献などを通じて定着した。現在ではビジネス、勉強法、生活の工夫など幅広い場面で効率の良さを強調する修辞として使われる。英語の "kill two birds with one stone" に相当するが、日本語では計画性や知恵を感じさせるニュアンスを帯びることもある。

Grammar & Learning Points

Grammar Point

This is a conditional phrase using “with one stone” to show means. It demonstrates how prepositional phrases can express method or instrument in English.
日本語で読む
with one stone のように、手段や道具を表す前置詞句で、条件や方法を示しています。英語の前置詞句の使い方を学ぶ際の良い例です。

Trap for English Speakers

This idiom is figurative. Do not use it literally or in contexts involving real harm to animals.
日本語で読む
この表現はあくまで比喩です。直訳して本当に鳥を傷つける意味だと誤解しないようにしましょう。

Example

Example 1Basic Example

  1. 散歩しながら英語を勉強すれば一石二鳥だ。

    Studying English while taking a walk is truly killing two birds with one stone.

Example 2Applied Example

  1. 強敵を倒した一撃で、背後の障害物も吹き飛ばした。一石二鳥の快感が走る。

    With one blow, he defeated the enemy and cleared the obstacle behind — the thrill of killing two birds with one stone.

Quick check

Meaning

What does 「一石二鳥」 mean?

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