有的放矢 (yǒu dì fàng shǐ)

Character breakdown

• 有 (yǒu) · 6 strokes

  Depicts a hand (又) holding meat (肉). In Oracle script this character was written the same as the phonetically similar 又, but later the 肉 component was added to distinguish them.

• 的 (de) · 8 strokes

  Phonosemantic compound. 白 represents the meaning and 勺 represents the sound. The character is based on the original meaning "bright".

• 放 (fàng) · 8 strokes

  Phonosemantic compound. 攵 represents the meaning and 方 represents the sound.

• 矢 (shǐ) · 5 strokes

  Pictograph of an arrow.

Usage

做任何事情之前都要先有计划，这样才能有的放矢。

You need to have a plan before doing anything, so you can act with a clear goal.

Zuò rèn hé shì qíng zhī qián dōu yào xiān yǒu jì huà, zhè yàng cái néng yǒu dì fàng shǐ.