四两拨千斤

Traditional form:

四兩撥千斤

Pinyin (reading):

sìliǎngbōqiānjīn

Definitions:

• lit. four ounces can move a thousand catties (idiom)
• fig. to achieve much with little effort

Characters:

• 四 - four
• 两 - two, both, pair, couple; ounce
• 拨 - to stir, to move, to distribute, to allocate
• 千 - thousand; many, numerous; very
• 斤 - a catty (about 500 grams); an axe; keen, shrewd

Traditional characters:

• 四 - four
• 兩 - two, both, pair, couple; ounce
• 撥 - to stir, to move, to distribute, to allocate
• 千 - thousand; many, numerous; very
• 斤 - a catty (about 500 grams); an axe; keen, shrewd