半斤八両 (bun3 gan1 baat3 loeng2) — six of one and half of a dozen of the other; Hobson's choice; Tweedledum and Tweedledee. | Lit. "Half a Catty or Eight Taels", which is the same amount (in old China, 1 catty = 16 taels = 600+g; in today's People's Republic, 1 catty = 500g = 10 taels). | Note: Some publications make a distinction betw. 両 (tael) and 兩 (two). Some publications don't. in Cantonese
bun˗₃半ganˉ¹斤baat˗₃八loengˊ²両Mandarin Pinyin: ban4 jin1 ba1 liang3
Meaning of 半斤八両
nounsix of one and half of a dozen of the other; Hobson's choice; Tweedledum and Tweedledee. | Lit. "Half a Catty or Eight Taels", which is the same amount (in old China, 1 catty = 16 taels = 600+g; in today's People's Republic, 1 catty = 500g = 10 taels). | Note: Some publications make a distinction betw. 両 (tael) and 兩 (two). Some publications don't.
nounequality/getting fair returns on efforts put in (old slang)