一个巴掌拍不响

Traditional form:

一個巴掌拍不響

Pinyin (reading):

yīgebāzhǎngpāibùxiǎng

Definitions:

• lit. one palm alone cannot clap (proverb)
• fig. it takes two persons to start a dispute
• it takes two to tango
• it's difficult to achieve anything without support

Characters:

• 一 - one; a, an; alone
• 个 - this, that; single; measure word for individuals
• 巴 - to desire, to wish for
• 掌 - in charge; the palm of the hand, the sole of the foot
• 拍 - to clap, to tap; to hit, to beat, to slap; beat, rhythm
• 不 - no, not, un-; negative prefix
• 响 - to make noise, to make sound; sound

Traditional characters:

• 一 - one; a, an; alone
• 個 - this, that; single; measure word for individuals
• 巴 - to desire, to wish for
• 掌 - in charge; the palm of the hand, the sole of the foot
• 拍 - to clap, to tap; to hit, to beat, to slap; beat, rhythm
• 不 - no, not, un-; negative prefix
• 響 - to make noise, to make sound; sound