有的放矢

有的放矢

1. to have a definite object in view; to have a definite objective in speech or action

   • 不是為了要解決中國革命的理論問題、策略問題而到馬克思、恩格斯、列寧、斯大林那裡找立場，找觀點，找方法，而是為了單純地學理論而去學理論。不是有的放矢，而是無的放矢。 [MSC, trad.]
     不是为了要解决中国革命的理论问题、策略问题而到马克思、恩格斯、列宁、斯大林那里找立场，找观点，找方法，而是为了单纯地学理论而去学理论。不是有的放矢，而是无的放矢。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 1941, 毛澤東 (Mao Zedong), 《改造我們的學習》 (Reform Our Study), 《毛澤東選集》 (Selected Works of Mao Tse-tung), English translation based on the Foreign Language Press edition

     Bùshì wèile yào jiějué Zhōngguó gémìng de lǐlùn wèntí, cèlüè wèntí ér dào Mǎkèsī, Ēngésī, Lièníng, Sīdàlín nàlǐ zhǎo lìchǎng, zhǎo guāndiǎn, zhǎo fāngfǎ, érshì wèile dānchún de xué lǐlùn ér qù xué lǐlùn. Bùshì yǒudìfàngshǐ, érshì wúdìfàngshǐ. [Pinyin]

     [The one with a subjectivist attitude] goes to Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin not to seek the stand, viewpoint and method with which to solve the theoretical and tactical problems of the Chinese revolution but to study theory purely for theory's sake. He does not shoot the arrow at the target but shoots at random.

   • 拿一句通俗的話來講，就是「有的放矢」。「矢」就是箭，「的」就是靶，放箭要對準靶。馬克思列寧主義和中國革命的關係，就是箭和靶的關係。 [MSC, trad.]
     拿一句通俗的话来讲，就是“有的放矢”。“矢”就是箭，“的”就是靶，放箭要对准靶。马克思列宁主义和中国革命的关系，就是箭和靶的关系。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 1942, 毛澤東 (Mao Zedong), 《整頓黨的作風》 (Rectify the Party's Style of Work), 《毛澤東選集》 (Selected Works of Mao Tse-tung), English translation based on the Foreign Language Press edition

     Ná yī jù tōngsú de huà lái jiǎng, jiùshì “yǒudìfàngshǐ”. “Shǐ” jiùshì jiàn, “dì” jiùshì bǎ, fàngjiàn yào duìzhǔn bǎ. Mǎkèsī Lièníng zhǔyì hé Zhōngguó gémìng de guānxì, jiùshì jiàn hé bǎ de guānxì. [Pinyin]

     To use a common expression, it is yǒudìfàngshǐ. Shǐ means the arrow, dì means the target; the arrow is shot at the target. As the arrow is to the target, so is Marxism-Leninism to the Chinese revolution.

• 無的放矢／无的放矢 (wúdìfàngshǐ)