混水摸鱼
混水摸鱼 (hún shuǐ mō yú) literally means “muddy the water, grope for fish” 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: Muddy the water, grope for fish
Origin & Usage
The twentieth of the Thirty-Six Stratagems. Fish in clear water see the hand coming; stir the water (混水) and the fish (鱼) can be taken (摸) by feel. The stratagem's own emphasis is on the first half — the confusion is manufactured by the person who then profits from it — which is stronger than the English 'fish in troubled waters', where the trouble may simply have been found. Profiteering in a crisis, and people who prosper wherever procedure has broken down.
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
鱼目混珠
yú mù hùn zhū
Passing fakes as genuine
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鱼龙混杂
yú lóng hùn zá
Good and bad people mixed together
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火中取栗
huǒ zhōng qǔ lì
Used by others
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将计就计
jiāng jì jiù jì
Turn the enemy's own plot against him
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锦囊妙计
jǐn náng miào jì
Prepared clever strategy
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里应外合
lǐ yìng wài hé
An inside accomplice working with an outside force
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纵横捭阖
zòng héng bǎi hé
Strategic maneuvering
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坐收渔利
zuò shōu yú lì
Benefit from others' conflict
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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 “Muddy the water, grope for fish” 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”.