1.
killing two birds with one stone
Achieving two goals with a single action. A four-character idiom (四字熟語).
一石二鳥の方法を考えよう。
Let's think of a way to kill two birds with one stone.
運動しながら英語を聞くのは一石二鳥だ。
Listening to English while exercising is killing two birds with one stone.
自転車通勤は健康にも環境にもいい、一石二鳥だ。
Commuting by bicycle is good for both health and the environment—two birds with one stone.
この仕事なら経験も積めて給料もいい。一石二鳥だね。
With this job, you can gain experience and the pay is good too. Two birds with one stone.
料理を趣味にしたら、楽しみながらお金も節約できるので一石二鳥だと気づいた。
I realized that if I made cooking my hobby, I could have fun and save money at the same time—two birds with one stone.
一石二鳥 is a 四字熟語 (four-character idiom) meaning to achieve two goals with one action.
LITERAL MEANING:
一石 (one stone) + 二鳥 (two birds)
USAGE PATTERNS:
- 一石二鳥だ: It's killing two birds with one stone
- 一石二鳥の方法: a method that accomplishes two things
- 一石二鳥を狙う: to aim for a two-for-one result
ORIGIN:
Borrowed from the English proverb "kill two birds with one stone."
RELATED EXPRESSIONS:
- 一挙両得: achieving two gains with one action (similar meaning)
- 二兎を追う者は一兎をも得ず: one who chases two rabbits catches neither (opposite warning)