Chinese Idiom: 同日而语 (Tong Ri Er Yu)
English Translation: Mentioned in the same breath
pīn yīn: tóng rì ér yǔ
Idiom Meaning: This idiom means to be mentioned or compared together, implying that the two things are not of the same level or cannot be compared. It is used to denote that something is so far superior or inferior that it should not be discussed in the same context as another.
Historical Source: 《过秦论》 (Discourse on the Rise and Fall of the Qin Dynasty) by Jia Yi
Idiom Story:
In the early Han Dynasty, Jia Yi wrote 《过秦论》, a critical essay analyzing the rise and fall of the Qin Dynasty. Jia Yi discussed how the Qin Dynasty, under the leadership of Qin Shi Huang, had achieved unprecedented power and dominance over China. However, he highlighted that despite its immense strength, the Qin Dynasty fell quickly due to its failure to adopt benevolent policies and properly govern its people.
In the essay, Jia Yi compared the Qin Dynasty’s power with that of other states and leaders, particularly focusing on the contrast between the Qin and the uprising led by Chen Sheng. Chen Sheng, a poor farmer who led a peasant revolt, managed to overthrow the mighty Qin Dynasty. Jia Yi used this comparison to illustrate that despite the Qin Dynasty’s powerful and expansive rule, it was ultimately defeated by a relatively small force because of its lack of righteousness and proper governance.
Jia Yi’s statement in the essay, “试使山东之国，与陈涉度长絜大，比权量力，则不可同年而语矣,” can be translated as: “If you compare the states of Shandong with Chen Sheng, considering their strengths and resources, they are not even in the same league.” This idea was later simplified and became the idiom “同日而语”, meaning that some things are so vastly different in magnitude or importance that they should not be discussed or compared together.
