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Japanese meaning of 逃げたら1つ、進めば2つ

— Suletta Mercury ／ Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury

にげたらひとつ、すすめばふたつ (Nigetara hitotsu, susumeba futatsu.)

English Translation:

Run away and you gain one. Move forward and you gain two.

Work: Character: Emotion: Scene:

Original Scene & Cultural Context

Scene in the Original Work:

In Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury, Suletta Mercury repeats this lesson from her mother Prospera to push herself forward when she is scared. In the season 1 finale (episode 12), Prospera says it to Suletta herself, and Suletta decides to board the Aerial.
日本語で読む
『機動戦士ガンダム 水星の魔女』で、スレッタ・マーキュリーがこわい場面で自分をふるい立たせるときに、母プロスペラの教えとしてくり返す言葉。1期最終話（第12話）ではプロスペラ自身がこう言い、スレッタはエアリアルに乗ることを決める。

Cultural Context:

The idea is that running away gains you only one thing, but moving forward gains you two. It first sounds encouraging, but after the season 1 finale many viewers came to see it as a "curse" that binds Suletta. It may also be used as a personal motto when you hesitate to try something.
日本語で読む
逃げれば得られるのは1つだけ、進めば2つ手に入る、という前向きな教え。ただ1期最終話のあとは、スレッタをしばる「呪い」のような言葉として受け取る視聴者も多い。迷ったときに自分への合言葉のように使うこともある。

Grammar & Learning Points

Grammar Point

•〜たら and 〜ば both mean "if": 逃げたら (if you run away), 進めば (if you go forward). •1つ・2つ are read ひとつ・ふたつ.
日本語で読む
•「〜たら」「〜ば」はどちらも条件を表す。•「1つ」「2つ」は「ひとつ」「ふたつ」と読む。

Trap for English Speakers

When counting with つ, 1つ is ひとつ, not いちつ.
日本語で読む
「つ」で数えるときは「いちつ」ではなく「ひとつ」「ふたつ」と読む。

Example

Example 1Basic Example

  1. 初めての発表を前に足がすくんだが、「逃げたら1つ、進めば2つ」と心の中で唱えて手を挙げた。

    My legs froze before my first presentation, but I told myself, "Run away and you gain one, move forward and you gain two," and raised my hand.

Example 2Applied Example

  1. （ダイエット中、ケーキ屋の前で立ち止まった姉が）逃げたら1キロ、進めば2キロ。

    (My sister on a diet, stopping in front of a cake shop) "Run away and I gain one kilo. Go in and I gain two."

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Meaning

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