举一反三
jǔ yī fǎn sān
Inferring from one example · trad. 舉一反三
Describes the ability to understand many things from a single example or piece of information. It refers to someone who can draw inferences and apply knowledge broadly after learning just one specific instance.
What does 举一反三 (jǔ yī fǎn sān) mean?
举一反三 (jǔ yī fǎn sān) means "inferring from one example" in English. Word for word, it breaks down as "cite one, infer three."
Character by character
- 举 jǔ cite, give (an example)
- 一 yī one
- 反 fǎn infer, deduce
- 三 sān three
When to use it
Used to praise someone's intelligence and quick understanding. It implies a strong capacity for learning and generalization, often appearing in educational or intellectual contexts.
Example
由此可举一反三,拓展我们的视野。
Yóucǐ kě jǔ yī fǎn sān, tàzhǎn wǒmen de shìyě.
From this, we can learn by analogy and broaden our horizons.
Pro tip: The numbers 'one' and 'three' are not literal quantities but signify learning a lot from a small input.
Related idioms
举世闻名 · World famous举手之劳 · Small effort task开门见山 · Direct to the point
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