虻あぶ蜂はち取とらず

also: アブハチとらず

あ

ぶ

は

ち

と

ら

ず

Meanings

expression

trying to do two things at once and failing at both; falling between two stools

idiomatic expression›

Proverb warning against splitting one's attention and ending up with nothing. Literally 'catching neither the horsefly nor the bee'.

二ふたつの仕し事ごとを同どう時じにやろうと

し

て

、

虻あぶ

蜂はち

取と

ら

ず

に

なっ

た

。

I tried to do two jobs at the same time and ended up failing at both.

あれもこれも手てを出だすと、虻あぶ蜂はち取とらずに終おわるよ。

If you try to do too many things, you'll end up with nothing.

Kanji

虻gadfly, horsefly
蜂bee, wasp, hornet
取take, fetch, take up

Related words

二に兎とを追おう者ものは一いっ兎とをも得えず
Similar proverb meaning 'if you run after two hares, you will catch neither'; more formal and literary than 虻蜂取らず.

Written forms

虻あぶ蜂はち取とらず
Standard kanji spelling for the proverb.
あぶはち取とらず
Mixed kana-kanji spelling; common in everyday writing.
アブハチ取とらず
Katakana-kanji spelling; sometimes used for emphasis or in informal contexts.
虻あぶ蜂はちとらず
Variant with とらず in kana.
アブハチとらず

Etymology

From the image of trying to catch both a horsefly (虻) and a bee (蜂) at the same time and failing to catch either. The exact origin is uncertain, but it is a well-known Japanese proverb.