混水摸鱼
混水摸鱼 (hún shuǐ mō yú) literally means “fish in troubled waters” and expresses “exploit chaos”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving strategy and action.
Also searched as: hun shui mo yu, hun shui mo yu,混水摸鱼 meaning, 混水摸鱼 in english
Exploit chaos
Pronunciation: hún shuǐ mō yú Literal meaning: Fish in troubled waters
Origin & Usage
The idiom 混水摸鱼 (hún shuǐ mō yú) originates from the classical Chinese military text 《三十六计》 (Thirty-Six Stratagems), specifically the stratagem of '混水摸鱼' which means 'to fish in troubled waters.' The idiom is derived from the idea that in a chaotic or confusing situation, one can take advantage of the disorder to achieve personal gain. This is illustrated in historical stories, such as the Tang Dynasty's handling of the Khitan rebellion, where strategic manipulation of internal conflicts led to a decisive victory. The characters 混 (hún, mix) and 水 (shuǐ, water) depict creating confusion, while 摸 (mō, touch) and 鱼 (yú, fish) suggest seizing opportunities amidst chaos. In modern usage, it describes exploiting a chaotic situation for personal benefit, often with a negative connotation.
Examples
English: "In the midst of the chaos, he took advantage of the situation to profit."
Chinese: 在混乱中，他趁机获利。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about strategy & action
胸有成竹
xiōng yǒu chéng zhú
Have clear plan beforehand
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步步为营
bù bù wéi yíng
Advance methodically with caution
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退避三舍
tuì bì sān shè
Make concessions to avoid conflict
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旁敲侧击
páng qiāo cè jī
Approach indirectly to achieve goal
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暗度陈仓
àn dù chén cāng
Achieve secretly through misdirection
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釜底抽薪
fǔ dǐ chōu xīn
Eliminate root cause of problem
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推波助澜
tuī bō zhù lán
Amplifying existing trends or momentum
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鹬蚌相争
yù bàng xiāng zhēng
Mutual conflict benefits third party
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 混水摸鱼 mean in English?
混水摸鱼 (hún shuǐ mō yú) literally translates to “Fish in troubled waters” and is used to express “Exploit chaos”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Strategy & Action category.
When is 混水摸鱼 used?
Situation: In the midst of the chaos, he took advantage of the situation to profit.
What is the pinyin for 混水摸鱼?
The pinyin pronunciation for 混水摸鱼 is “hún shuǐ mō yú”.