Kill two birds with one stone
Meaning: Accomplish two tasks with a single action.
Origin: The phrase appears in 1656, in a published dispute over free will between the philosopher Thomas Hobbes and Bishop John Bramhall. The image — one lucky throw bringing down two birds — has close cousins elsewhere: Italian speaks of catching two pigeons with one bean.
Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, and German
- French: Faire d'une pierre deux coups (literally: Make two hits with one stone)
- Spanish: Matar dos pájaros de un tiro (literally: Kill two birds with one shot)
- Japanese: 一石二鳥 (Isseki nichō) (literally: One stone, two birds)
- German: Zwei Fliegen mit einer Klappe schlagen (literally: To hit two flies with one swat)
More proverbs about Wisdom
- Don't bite off more than you can chew — Don't take on more than you can handle.
- Every rose has its thorn — Even the best things have their drawbacks.
- All's well that ends well — A good outcome justifies the difficulties along the way.
- A rolling stone gathers no moss — Those who keep moving avoid stagnation (or commitments).
- Don't burn your bridges — Don't destroy relationships you might need later.
- Pearls before swine — Giving something valuable to those who can't appreciate it.