鹬蚌相争

yù bàng xiāng zhēng

  • Meaning

    Literal

    The sandpiper and the clam fight one another

    Usage

    Refers to when a third party benefits from the struggle of others

  • Connotation

    Negative

  • Usage Examples

    今年夏天,电器业者鹬蚌相争,降价促销,消费者成了最大的赢家 | Jīnnián xiàtiān, diànqì yèzhě yùbàngxiāngzhēng, jiàngjià cùxiāo, xiāofèizhě chéng le zuì dà de yíngjiā
    This summer, the electronics vendors fought amongst each other have the lowest prices, and the consumers became the ones who benefited the most
    [Source]

    由于他们两人不肯合作,鹬蚌相争,结果把大好机会白白地送给对手 | Yóuyú tāmen liǎng rén bù kěn hézuò, yù bàng xiāng zhēng, jiéguǒ bǎ dàhǎo jīhuì báibái dì sòng gěi duìshǒu
    Because the two of you were unwilling to work together and kept fighting each other, you needlessly gave your opponent a great opportunity
    [Source]

  • Equivalents

    English

    None

    Chinese

    鹬蚌相争,渔翁得利 (yù bàng xiāng zhēng, yú wēng dé lì)

  • Entry Notes

    None

  • Origin

    《战国策》(Zhàn Gúo Cè, Strategies of the Warring States), a work which chronicled the Warring States Period (475 - 220 BC)

  • Story

    On a warm and pleasant day, a freshwater mussel hopped onto the banks of its river, opened up its shell, and started soaking up some sun. It wasn't long before a passing sand piper caught sight of the mussel, and it immediately tried to take a bite.

    The mussel responded by clamping its shell firmly shut around the sandpiper's beak. The sandpiper tried to break away, but found itself utterly unable to move. Similarly, the mussel quickly found that it couldn't break away from its attacker to jump back into the river. At this, the two creatures started arguing ferociously.

    The sandpiper spat in a muffled voice, "If it doesn't rain in a day or two, you won't be able to return to the river, and you'll die here."

    The mussel retorted around the sandpiper's beak, "If I don't let you go and you can't get out within a few days, you'll starve to death!"

    They continued arguing furiously, with neither gaining the upper hand. At this point, a fisherman arrived at the river and saw the mussel and sandpiper locked together. Immediately, he scooped them up, and, the day's work already done, he returned home for a nice meal.

  • Citations and Helpful Resources

    • 汉语成语小词典 (hànyǔ chéngyǔ xiǎo cídiǎn)
    • 现代汉语规范词典 (xiàndài hànyǔ guīfàn cídiǎn)
    • 多功能成语词典 (duō gōngnéng chéngyǔ cídiǎn)
    • 汉语大词典 (hànyǔ dà cídiǎn)
    • ABC Chinese-English Comprehensive Dictionary
    • Pleco Basic Chinese-English Dictionary
    • 汉语大词典[x]
    • 故事365[x]
    • 故事无忧[x]
    • 第一范文[x]
    • 成语 t086[x]