# 針沒兩頭利



## Dragonseed

I would like to understand the meaning of that phrase: 針沒兩頭利
Litteraly, "a pin does not have two points", but I am at a loss to understand what it really means and in what context it can be used.
(this was in a short article I just read about choices in life and taking risks)

Can anybody help with examples of use?
Thanks!


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## kastner

The essence of a needle is its point. When people say 針無兩頭利/針沒兩頭利 (利 is sharp), they mean "There's no best of both sides"


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## kastner

example:
針無兩頭利，你買的跑車越高級，花的錢也越多。


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## samanthalee

It means there's a trade-off in everything. It's very similar to the expression 鱼与熊掌不可兼得 [魚與熊掌不可兼得] _You can't have your cake and eat it_.


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## Dragonseed

Thank you to both of you, very clear now.

In French we'd say "On ne peut pas avoir le beurre et l'argent du beurre" ("can't have the butter and keep the money")

Now a question completely out of scope of this forum: why can't we have the cake AND eat it?... ;-)


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## univerio

Dragonseed said:


> Thank you to both of you, very clear now.
> 
> In French we'd say "On ne peut pas avoir le beurre et l'argent du beurre" ("can't have the butter and keep the money")
> 
> Now a question completely out of scope of this forum: why can't we have the cake AND eat it?... ;-)



Bah, ask in the English forum...


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## xiaolijie

univerio said:


> Bah, ask in the English forum...


You're right, but I think it's a simple question, 杀鸡焉用牛刀, we may just as well get it over with:
_"You can't have the cake and eat it": "have"_ here means to still have got it with you after you've eaten it, and this is just not possible.


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## samanthalee

Dragonseed said:


> Now a question completely out of scope of this forum: why can't we have the cake AND eat it?... ;-)



The question has already been asked and answered here.


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## rayk47

Hi Dragon,

針無兩頭利 mainly explains for everything thing, and subject, plans etc there are ALWAYS the pros and cons.  Imagine a 針 (needle, esp one used for sewing by the Chinese) with both ends 利 (sharp), how can you even hold it and how can you thread it to sew with?

hope this helps.


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## xiaolijie

I've just come across 两者不可兼得, which I think is similar in meaning to 針無兩頭利.


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## rayk47

After you eat it, can you still possibly have it?


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## mayingdts

xiaolijie said:


> I've just come across 两者不可兼得, which I think is similar in meaning to 針無兩頭利.



没错。而且我真的没听过什么针无两头利，为啥你们都知道它呢，难道这是个广东话的谚语？


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