V一X是一X: every little bit counts
【四68】口语格式 / fixed patterns
Tone colorsā tone 1á tone 2ǎ tone 3à tone 4a neutral
V一X是一X repeats the same measure word on both sides of 是: you may not manage everything, but every little bit counts. 能吃一口是一口, 过一天是一天, 做一件是一件. English: “every bit helps”, “one at a time”, “day by day”.
The tone is practical, sometimes resigned: you accept a partial result rather than aim for perfection. Unlike 尽量 (“do your best”), which aims for the maximum, this pattern settles for whatever you can get. It often follows 能 (“as much as possible”).
The verb comes before 一, the measure word is identical on both sides (口…口, 块…块, 件…件) and 是 is required. Spoken register.
Examples
吃不完没关系，能吃一口是一口。
Chī bu wán méi guānxi, néng chī yì kǒu shì yì kǒu.It doesn't matter if you can't finish; every bite counts.
钱不多，能省一块是一块。
Qián bù duō, néng shěng yí kuài shì yí kuài.Money is tight, so every yuan saved counts.
工作做不完，做一件是一件。
Gōngzuò zuò bu wán, zuò yí jiàn shì yí jiàn.I can't finish all the work, so I'll do one task at a time and count each.
单词太多了，我记一个是一个。
Dāncí tài duō le, wǒ jì yí ge shì yí ge.There are too many words, so every word I remember is one gained.
路还很远，走一步是一步。
Lù hái hěn yuǎn, zǒu yí bù shì yí bù.The road is still long, so I'll go one step at a time.
日子不好过，过一天是一天。
Rìzi bù hǎo guò, guò yì tiān shì yì tiān.Times are hard, so you take it one day at a time.
Common mistakes
✗ 做一件一件 → ✓ 做一件是一件 (是 is required).
✗ 赚一块是一元 → ✓ 赚一块是一块 (the same measure word on both sides).