鱼与熊掌不可兼得

yú yǔ xióng zhǎng bù kě jiān dé

释义

1. lit. the fish and the bear's paw, you can't have both at the same time (idiom, from Mencius); fig. you must choose one or the other
2. you can't always get everything you want
3. you can't have your cake and eat it

鱼与熊掌不可兼得 的构成词

• 不 bù: no; not so
• 兼 jiān: double
• 可 kě: can
• 得 dé: to obtain
• 得 de: structural particle: used after a verb (or adjective as main verb), linking it to following phrase indicating effect, degree, possibility etc
• 得 děi: to have to
• 熊 xióng: bear
• 与 yǔ: and
• 与 yù: to take part in
• 鱼 yú: fish
• 不可 bù kě: cannot; should not; must not
• 掌 zhǎng: palm of the hand
• 熊掌 xióng zhǎng: bear paw (as food)
• 鱼与熊掌 yú yǔ xióng zhǎng: lit. the fish and the bear's paw, you can't have both at the same time (idiom, from Mencius); fig. you must choose one or the other