借刀杀人
借刀杀人 (jiè dāo shā rén) literally means “kill with a borrowed knife” and expresses “indirect manipulation”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving strategy and action.
Also searched as: jie dao sha ren, jie dao sha ren,借刀杀人 meaning, 借刀杀人 in english
Indirect manipulation
Pronunciation: jiè dāo shā rén Literal meaning: Kill with a borrowed knife
Origin & Usage
The third of the Thirty-Six Stratagems: when the enemy is clear but an ally is uncommitted, induce the ally to do the work. Kill a man (杀人) with a borrowed (借) knife (刀). What the phrase specifically supplies is the borrowing — the hand that acts is not yours, so neither is the blame, and the instrument may not understand it is being used. Office politics claims it as readily as war, and it is always an accusation, never a description of one's own conduct.
Examples
English: "He manipulated the situation to eliminate his rival without getting his hands dirty."
Chinese: 他操控局势，借刀杀人，轻松消灭了对手。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about strategy & action
借花献佛
jiè huā xiàn fó
Make a gift of something that isn't yours
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杀鸡取卵
shā jī qǔ luǎn
Sacrifice long-term benefits for short-term gains
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杀一儆百
shā yī jǐng bǎi
Punish to deter others
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大刀阔斧
dà dāo kuò fǔ
Bold action
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笑里藏刀
xiào lǐ cáng dāo
Hide malice behind smile
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两肋插刀
liǎng lèi chā dāo
Extreme loyalty
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暗箭伤人
àn jiàn shāng rén
Covert attacks avoiding direct confrontation
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先发制人
xiān fā zhì rén
Seize initiative
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 借刀杀人 mean in English?
借刀杀人 (jiè dāo shā rén) literally translates to “Kill with a borrowed knife” and is used to express “Indirect manipulation”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Strategy & Action category.
When is 借刀杀人 used?
Situation: He manipulated the situation to eliminate his rival without getting his hands dirty.
What is the pinyin for 借刀杀人?
The pinyin pronunciation for 借刀杀人 is “jiè dāo shā rén”.