鷸蚌之争
Reading: いつぼうのあらそい
Meaning: a dispute where both parties lose to a third party
Listen to pronunciation
Example Sentence
There are people who laugh watching the two people's self-defeating dispute.
Usage Notes
Based on a Chinese parable where a snipe and a clam fight, allowing a fisherman to catch both. Used to describe situations where parties in conflict both lose to an opportunistic third party.
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