諺語 · a single proverb
狼狽為奸
Simplified: 狼狈为奸
What does 狼狽為奸 (láng bèi wéi jiān) mean?
狼狽為奸 (láng bèi wéi jiān) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "the wolf and the bei conspire together." In use it means: Two bad actors collaborating to do harm; a partnership built entirely on mutual exploitation. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Fire note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rat.
Literally: "the wolf and the bei conspire together."
The reading
Separately, each is a nuisance. Together, they are a machine. The partnership is not based on trust. It is based on complementary appetites. When those appetites are satisfied, the partnership will collapse, because mutual exploitation has an expiration date.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Common literary expression; classical Chinese idiom
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Friendship, Trust & Speech, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rat, Year of the Ox, and Year of the Tiger.
Questions
Is 狼狽為奸 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 狼狽為奸 (láng bèi wéi jiān) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Common literary expression; classical Chinese idiom. It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 狼狽為奸?
In Mandarin it is láng bèi wéi jiān. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 狼狽為奸 aloud in Mandarin.