虻蜂取らず

あぶはちとらず· also アブハチとらず

attempting two tasks at the same time, accomplishing neither; falling between two stools; catching neither the horsefly nor the bee

Also written あぶはち取らず、アブハチ取らず、虻蜂とらず、あぶ蜂取らず

Meanings

Expression
attempting two tasks at the same time, accomplishing neither; falling between two stools; catching neither the horsefly nor the beeIdiom

Example sentences

そんなに欲よくをかいていると、虻蜂取あぶはちとらずになっちゃうよ。

Don't be so greedy or you'll wind up with nothing.
その提案ていあん一石二鳥いっせきにちょうを狙ねらったものだろうけど、「虻蜂あぶはちとらず」にならなければいいけどね。

That proposal may be a way to kill two birds with one stone, but we also have to be careful not to get greedy and spoil everything.