# 孤掌难鸣

gū zhǎng nán míng

One person cannot succeed without support

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** One palm cannot make a clap

**Traditional Chinese:** 孤掌難鳴

**Register:** Reflective · general

[People & connection](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/relationships)

## When to use it

Explain why cooperation is necessary.

Can also indicate shared responsibility in conflict.

## Understanding the expression

A clap needs two surfaces to meet, so one hand alone cannot produce the expected sound. Modern use often explains why an able person still needs help to complete a project or create change. It can also suggest that a dispute involves more than one side. Context should identify the missing support or shared action. The phrase does not say that individual effort has no value at all.

## Examples

我一个人孤掌难鸣，需要帮手。

### Traditional Chinese

我一個人孤掌難鳴，需要幫手。

wǒ yí gè rén gū zhǎng nán míng ， xū yào bāng shǒu 。

I cannot manage alone and need help.

她想改革，却孤掌难鸣。

### Traditional Chinese

她想改革，卻孤掌難鳴。

tā xiǎng gǎi gé ， què gū zhǎng nán míng 。

She wants reform but lacks support.

没有居民参与，社区工作孤掌难鸣。

### Traditional Chinese

沒有居民參與，社區工作孤掌難鳴。

méi yǒu jū mín cān yù ， shè qū gōng zuò gū zhǎng nán míng 。

Community work cannot succeed without residents taking part.

双方都在挑衅，毕竟孤掌难鸣。

### Traditional Chinese

雙方都在挑釁，畢竟孤掌難鳴。

shuāng fāng dōu zài tiǎo xìn ， bì jìng gū zhǎng nán míng 。

Both sides are provoking each other; conflict needs more than one participant.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 6, 2026.

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E5%AD%A4%E6%8E%8C%E9%9B%A3%E9%B3%B4)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=111&webMd=1&la=0)

## Keep exploring

- [瓜田李下 guā tián lǐ xià Circumstances that invite suspicion ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/gua-tian-li-xia)

- [光明磊落 guāng míng lěi luò Be open, honest, and upright ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/guang-ming-lei-luo)

- [过河拆桥 guò hé chāi qiáo Discard a helper after gaining the benefit ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/guo-he-chai-qiao)

- [害群之马 hài qún zhī mǎ Someone whose misconduct harms the whole group ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/hai-qun-zhi-ma)

## Keep this one close.

Save useful idioms, read offline, and revisit them with flashcards in Almanac.

[View on the App Store ](https://apps.apple.com/app/id6819590452)

[Previous idiom 姑妄言之 ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/gu-wang-yan-zhi) [Next idiom 刮目相看 ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/gua-mu-xiang-kan)