举一反三jǔ yī fǎn sānto raise one and infer three

1. 1.

   to raise one and infer threeidiom

2. 2.

   to deduce many things from one case (idiom)idiom

Figurative meaning

To deduce many things from one case.

Literal meaning

To raise one and use analogy for three.

• 举to raise
• 一one
• 反to use analogy
• 三three

The story

If [the teacher] raises one corner and [the student] does not respond with the other three, [the teacher] will not go over it again.

举一反三 often appears after 学会 or 能够, and can also modify a noun with 的, as in 举一反三的能力.

1. HSK 4

   老师希望学生能举一反三，不要只会背答案。

   Lǎoshī xīwàng xuésheng néng jǔ yī fǎn sān, bú yào zhǐ huì bèi dá'àn.

   The teacher hopes students can deduce many things from one case, instead of only memorizing answers.

2. HSK 3

   学会这一个方法后，你就可以举一反三了。

   Xuéhuì zhè yí ge fāngfǎ hòu, nǐ jiù kěyǐ jǔ yī fǎn sān le.

   Once you learn this one method, you can raise one and infer three.

1. 
   Speaker A:

   这道题我会了，那道类似的呢？

   Zhè dào tí wǒ huì le, nà dào lèisì de ne?

   I can do this problem; what about that similar one?

2. 
   Speaker B:

   你举一反三就行。

   Nǐ jǔ yī fǎn sān jiù xíng.

   Just deduce from this case to the others.

3. 
   Speaker A:

   好，我先找找相同的地方。

   Hǎo, wǒ xiān zhǎozhao xiāngtóng de dìfang.

   OK; I'll first look for what is the same.

4. 
   Speaker B:

   对，方法其实差不多。

   Duì, fāngfǎ qíshí chàbuduō.

   Right; the method is actually about the same.

1. 1.What does 举一反三 mean?

   ATo deduce many things from one caseBTangled and complicatedCOf long standing
2. 2.Which sentence uses 举一反三 correctly?

   A他学了一个例子，就能举一反三做其他题。B河水举一反三地流。C今天天气举一反三。
3. 3.Which idiom fits best? 好的学习方法是____，从例子想到同类问题。 (A good study method is to deduce many things from one case: from an example you think of similar problems.)

   A举一反三B错综复杂C源远流长

• Free HSK 3 level testSee which HSK 3.0 level your vocabulary matches.
• HSK 7–9 word listEvery word at this level, with examples.
• HSK 3.0 guideHow the nine levels and three bands work.

Related idioms

• 一举两得yì jǔ liǎng détwo birds with one stoneHSK 7–9
• 一如既往yì rú jì wǎng(idiom) just as in the past; as before; continuing as alwaysHSK 7–9
• 一目了然yí mù liǎo ránobvious at a glance (idiom)HSK 7–9
• 朝三暮四zhāo sān mù sìto change sth that is already settled uponHSK 7–9
• 独一无二dú yī wú èr(idiom) unique; unmatched; unrivalledHSK 7–9
• 轻而易举qīng ér yì jǔwith no difficultyHSK 7–9

Browse every entry in the Chinese idioms dictionary.