鹬蚌相持，渔人得利 — “When two parties are locked in a dispute”

Q: What is the Chinese definition of 鹬蚌相持，渔人得利?

比喻双方相持不下，而使第三者从中得利。

鹬蚌相持，渔人得利 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “When two parties are locked in a dispute”. Refusing to yield, a third party often benefits from their conflict. Literally, “The snipe and clam contend, the fisherman profits”.

Frequency

鹬蚌相持，渔人得利 Pronunciation and Pinyin

鹬蚌相持，渔人得利 Character Breakdown

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
鹬	yù	17	sandpiper bird
蚌	bàng	10	freshwater mollusk or pearl
相	xiāng	9	mutual or appearance
持	chí	9	hold, maintain, support
，	，	—
渔	yú	11	to fish; exploit
人	rén	2	human being, person
得	dé	11	obtain, must, or suitable
利	lì	7	benefit, smooth, sharp, profit

Example Sentence with 鹬蚌相持，渔人得利

两家商店为了促销互相大幅降价，结果引得顾客蜂拥而至，让旁边的另一家餐饮店因为人流量大而意外渔人得利

Two shops drastically cut prices in a fierce sales promotion, attracting a large crowd. As a result, a nearby restaurant unexpectedly benefited from the increased foot traffic, a classic case of the fisherman's gain.

Origin and Story of 鹬蚌相持，渔人得利

During the Warring States period, the State of Zhao was preparing to attack the State of Yan. King Yan sent Su Dai to Zhao to persuade King Zhao against war.

Su Dai told a story about a clam on the riverbank that clamped onto a snipe's long beak. Neither the snipe nor the clam would give way, each thinking the other would eventually tire out. In the end, a fisherman came along and easily caught both of them.

Su Dai warned King Zhao that if Zhao and Yan went to war, the State of Qin would be like the fisherman, easily conquering both. King Zhao, understanding the wisdom in the story, abandoned his plan to attack Yan.