一挙

• Reading: いっきょ
• Romaji: ikkyo
• Kanji breakdown: 一 (ichi) — one | 挙 (kyo) — action, deed, raise
• Pronunciation: /i.k.kʲo/

Meaning

One effort; one action; at a stroke. Describes accomplishing something in a single decisive move.

Used as a noun or adverb (一挙に) to emphasise the efficiency or suddenness of an action. Common collocations include 一挙に解決する (solve in one go) and 一挙両得 (killing two birds with one stone). It conveys a sense of dramatic, sweeping change or efficiency.

Examples

1. 長年の懸案事項を一挙に解決する方法を模索していた。 They had been searching for a way to resolve long-standing issues at a stroke.
2. 新しい技術の導入によって、作業効率が一挙に向上した。 With the introduction of new technology, work efficiency improved dramatically in one go.
3. 一挙に問題を片付けようとして、かえって混乱を招いてしまった。 Trying to clear up the problems all at once only ended up causing greater confusion.

Usage Guide

Context: business, problem-solving, strategic planning, journalism

Tone: decisive

Origin & History

Compound of 一 (ichi) meaning 'one' and 挙 (kyo) meaning 'raise, action, deed'. Traces back to classical Chinese expressions for performing a decisive act in a single motion.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal