諺語 · a single proverb
兩敗俱傷
Simplified: 两败俱伤
What does 兩敗俱傷 (liǎng bài jù shāng) mean?
兩敗俱傷 (liǎng bài jù shāng) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "both sides defeated and injured." In use it means: A conflict where everyone loses; mutual destruction that leaves no winner. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Metal note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Horse.
Literally: "both sides defeated and injured."
The reading
The scoreboard shows two zeroes and a hospital bill. Nobody advanced. Nobody gained. The only product of the fight was the fight itself, and the fight cost more than whatever was being fought over. Before engaging, calculate the total cost on both sides. If it exceeds the prize, the correct move is to walk away.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Common military and diplomatic expression; Zhànguó Cè tradition
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 Courage & Decisive Action, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Horse, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 兩敗俱傷 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 兩敗俱傷 (liǎng bài jù shāng) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Common military and diplomatic expression; Zhànguó Cè tradition. 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 兩敗俱傷?
In Mandarin it is liǎng bài jù shāng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 兩敗俱傷 aloud in Mandarin.