鹬蚌相持，渔翁得利 — “When two parties are engaged in a fierce struggle or dispute”
鹬蚌相持，渔翁得利 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “When two parties are engaged in a fierce struggle or dispute”. Refusing to yield, a third party can easily step in and gain advantage or profit from their mutual exhaustion. It signifies that a protracted conflict between rivals often benefits an opportunist. Literally, “A snipe and a clam grapple, a fisherman profits”.
鹬蚌相持，渔翁得利 Pronunciation and Pinyin
鹬蚌相持，渔翁得利 Character Breakdown
Example Sentence with 鹬蚌相持，渔翁得利
Origin and Story of 鹬蚌相持，渔翁得利
During the Warring States period, the State of Zhao was preparing to attack the State of Yan. The King of Yan sent Su Dai to persuade the King of Zhao not to engage in war.
Su Dai told the King a story: A snipe was pecking at a clam on the riverbank. The clam suddenly snapped shut, clamping onto the snipe's beak. Neither the snipe nor the clam was willing to release the other. While they were locked in this stalemate, a passing fisherman easily captured both of them.
Su Dai then explained, 'If the States of Yan and Zhao go to war, both will be exhausted and weakened, and the powerful State of Qin will be like the fisherman, easily conquering both of us.' Hearing this, the King of Zhao abandoned his plan to attack Yan.
Idioms Related to 鹬蚌相持，渔翁得利
Synonyms of 鹬蚌相持，渔翁得利
Antonyms of 鹬蚌相持，渔翁得利
More idioms starting with 鹬
- yù鹬bàng蚌chí持zhēng争，，yú渔wēng翁dé得lì利third party profits from others' conflict
- yù鹬bàng蚌xiāng相zhēng争third party benefits from two parties' conflict
- yù鹬bàng蚌xiāng相zhēng争，，zuò坐shōu收yú渔wēng翁zhī之lì利third party profits from a dispute
- yù鹬bàng蚌xiāng相zhēng争，，yú渔rén人huò获lì利disputing parties suffer, third party profits
- yù鹬bàng蚌xiāng相wēi危rivals' dispute benefits a third party
- yù鹬bàng蚌xiāng相chí持Standoff benefits a third party
- yù鹬bàng蚌xiāng相chí持，，yú渔rén人dé得lì利Third party profits from two parties' dispute
- yù鹬bàng蚌xiāng相dòu斗third party benefits from two parties fighting
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Open the tool →Questions about 鹬蚌相持，渔翁得利
What does 鹬蚌相持，渔翁得利 mean?
鹬蚌相持，渔翁得利 (yù bàng xiāng chí ， yú wēng dé lì) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “When two parties are engaged in a fierce struggle or dispute”.
How do you pronounce 鹬蚌相持，渔翁得利?
鹬蚌相持，渔翁得利 is pronounced yù bàng xiāng chí ， yú wēng dé lì in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 鹬蚌相持，渔翁得利 literally mean?
Literally, 鹬蚌相持，渔翁得利 means “a snipe and a clam grapple, a fisherman profits”. It is used to mean “When two parties are engaged in a fierce struggle or dispute”.
Where does 鹬蚌相持，渔翁得利 come from?
鹬蚌相持，渔翁得利 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 鹬蚌相持，渔翁得利?
比喻双方争执不下，两败俱伤，让第三者占了便宜。