李代桃僵

Pronunciation: lǐ dài táo jiāng Literal meaning: Plum replaces peach

Origin & Usage

The idiom 李代桃僵 (lǐ dài táo jiāng) originates from a poem in the 乐府诗集 (Yuèfǔ Shījí), which describes the rise and fall of a family during the Han dynasty. The poem tells of five brothers who, after gaining favor with the emperor, live in luxury but eventually face downfall due to their misdeeds. When one brother is punished, the others fail to support him, highlighting their lack of solidarity. The idiom itself paints a vivid image of a plum tree (李, lǐ) dying in place of a peach tree (桃, táo) when its roots are eaten by insects, symbolizing sacrifice and substitution. In modern usage, 李代桃僵 is used to describe situations where one person takes the fall or substitutes for another, often in the context of bearing consequences for someone else's actions.

Examples

English: "In negotiations, he sacrificed one deal to secure a more advantageous one."

Chinese: 在谈判中，他牺牲了一个交易以确保一个更有利的交易。