為淵驅魚,為叢驅雀

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Chinese

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because of; for; to
because of; for; to; act as; take...to be; to be; to do; to serve as; to become
 
abyss
to expel; to urge on; to drive
to expel; to urge on; to drive; to run quickly
 
fish
because of; for; to
because of; for; to; act as; take...to be; to be; to do; to serve as; to become
 
cluster; collection; collection of books
cluster; collection; collection of books; thicket
 
to expel; to urge on; to drive
to expel; to urge on; to drive; to run quickly
 
bird; lentigo; sparrow
trad. (為淵驅魚,為叢驅雀/為淵敺魚,為叢敺雀) / /
simp. (为渊驱鱼,为丛驱雀)
alternative forms 為淵驅魚,為叢驅爵為淵敺魚,為叢敺爵为渊驱鱼,为丛驱爵
Literally: “to drive the fish into deep waters and the sparrows into the thickets”.

Etymology

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From the Mencius.

為淵敺魚為叢敺爵湯武 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
为渊驱鱼为丛驱爵汤武 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: Mencius, c. 4th century BCE
wèiyuānqūyú zhě, tǎ yě; wèicóngqūquè zhě, zhān yě; wèi Tāng Wǔ qū mín zhě, Jié yǔ Zhòu yě. [Pinyin]
Accordingly, as the otter aids the deep waters, driving the fish into them, and the hawk aids the thickets, driving the little birds to them, so Jie and Zhou aided Tang and Wu, driving the people to them.

Pronunciation

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Idiom

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為淵驅魚,為叢驅雀

  1. (figuratively) to produce the exact opposite effect of what one wished
  2. (figuratively, by extension) to drive one's allies or people to the side of the enemy

Synonyms

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