開源節流

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Chinese

open; operate (vehicle); start root; source; origin
festival; section; segment
festival; section; segment; point; part; to economize; to save; temperate
 
to flow; to spread; to circulate
to flow; to spread; to circulate; to move
 
trad. (開源節流)
simp. (开源节流)
Literally: “to open a source and restrict the flow”.

Etymology

From Xunzi:

百姓事業等賦府庫明主斟酌使天下有餘不足
百姓事业等赋府库明主斟酌使天下有余不足
From: Xunzi, c. 3rd century BCE
Bǎixìng shí hé, shìyè dé xù zhě, huò zhī yuán yě; děngfù fǔkù zhě, huò zhī liú yě. Gù míngzhǔ bì jǐn yǎng qí hé, jiéliú, kāiyuán, ér shí zhēnzhuó yān. Huángrán shǐ tiānxià bì yǒuyú, ér shàng bù yōu bùzú.
The people being in accord with the proper season and successfully arranging their duties and tasks is the source of wealth; gradations of the tax rate, treasuries, and arsenals are the outflow of wealth. Thus, the enlightened ruler will inevitably be careful to nurture the harmonious accord of the people with the season, restrict the outflow of property, open up its sources, and distribute or dole out goods as the occasion requires. Like a vast flood of surging waters, he will inevitably cause the world to have a surplus, and the ruler will suffer no hardship of inadequacy.

Pronunciation


Idiom

開源節流

  1. (figurative) to increase income and reduce spending