両りょう天てん秤びんをかける

Meanings

1

expression, ichidan verb

try to have it both ways; play a double game; hedge one's bets

idiomatic expression

Idiomatic expression meaning to try to benefit from two conflicting options simultaneously, often with a negative connotation of opportunism or indecisiveness.

Written forms

両りょう天てん秤びんをかける
Standard kanji spelling for this idiomatic expression.
両りょう天てん秤びんを掛かける
Alternate kanji spelling using 掛ける; equally valid.

Kanji

両both, old Japanese coin, counter for carriages (e.g., in a train)
天heavens, sky, imperial
秤balances, scales, steelyard
掛hang, suspend, depend

Similar words

二ふた股またをかける
Literally 'to straddle two things'; often used for dating two people at once, while 両天秤をかける is broader and can apply to any situation of trying to keep two options open.
どっちつかず
Means 'neither one nor the other' or 'indecisive', describing a state rather than the active attempt to benefit from both sides.

Etymology

From 両天秤 (a balance scale with two pans) and かける (to hang/set), literally 'to hang on both scales', figuratively meaning to try to weigh or favor both sides at once.