# 开源节流

kāi yuán jié liú

Increase income and reduce spending

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Open the source and restrict the outflow

**Traditional Chinese:** 開源節流

**Register:** Practical · general

[Choices & judgment](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/decisions)

## When to use it

Discuss balancing new revenue with sensible cost control.

Cutting necessary expenses indiscriminately is not the whole idea.

## Understanding the expression

Money is compared to water moving through a system. Increasing the inflow helps, but a large uncontrolled outflow can still empty the reservoir. The expression combines two complementary actions: find reliable sources of revenue and avoid unnecessary expense. It suits household budgeting, business planning, or public finance. Neither side should automatically dominate. Investment that produces future value may be consistent with the principle even when it increases today's spending.

## Examples

公司通过开源节流改善了现金状况。

### Traditional Chinese

公司通過開源節流改善了現金狀況。

gōng sī tōng guò kāi yuán jié liú gǎi shàn le xiàn jīn zhuàng kuàng 。

The company improved cash flow by increasing revenue and cutting unnecessary costs.

我们开源节流，接些兼职，也减少外卖。

### Traditional Chinese

我們開源節流，接些兼職，也減少外賣。

wǒ men kāi yuán jié liú ， jiē xiē jiān zhí ， yě jiǎn shǎo wài mài 。

We are earning extra income through side work and spending less on takeout.

学校准备开源节流，但不会削减图书预算。

### Traditional Chinese

學校準備開源節流，但不會削減圖書預算。

xué jiào zhǔn bèi kāi yuán jié liú ， dàn bú huì xuē jiǎn tú shū yù suàn 。

The school plans to increase income and economize without cutting the book budget.

开源节流需要长期计划，不能只靠一次促销。

### Traditional Chinese

開源節流需要長期計劃，不能只靠一次促銷。

kāi yuán jié liú xū yào cháng qī jì huà ， bù néng zhī kào yí cì cù xiāo 。

Increasing revenue and controlling costs requires a long-term plan, not one promotion.

## 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=%E9%96%8B%E6%BA%90%E7%AF%80%E6%B5%81)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=385&webMd=1&la=0)

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