与虎谋皮
与虎谋皮 (yǔ hǔ móu pí) literally means “with tiger plot skin” and expresses “asking someone to sacrifice their core interests”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving strategy and action.
Also searched as: yu hu mou pi, yu hu mou pi,与虎谋皮 meaning, 与虎谋皮 in english
Asking someone to sacrifice their core interests
Pronunciation: yǔ hǔ móu pí Literal meaning: With tiger plot skin
Origin & Usage
The original form is 与狐谋皮, negotiating with the fox for its skin — a man who wanted a fur robe put the proposal to the foxes, and wanted meat for a sacrifice and put it to the sheep, and both parties left before he had finished speaking. The tiger (虎) version is the one in common use now. What the phrase names is not a hard negotiation but an impossible one: the thing being asked for is the counterparty's existence, so no terms exist at which they could agree.
Examples
English: "Negotiating with the monopoly about fair pricing was like asking a tiger for its own hide"
Chinese: 与垄断企业谈判公平定价就像与虎谋皮
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about strategy & action
羊质虎皮
yáng zhì hǔ pí
Imposing outside, timid within
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两虎相争
liǎng hǔ xiāng zhēng
Fierce competition between equals
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三人成虎
sān rén chéng hǔ
Repeated lie becomes truth
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骑虎难下
qí hǔ nán xià
Unable to stop dangerous course
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马马虎虎
mǎ mǎ hǔ hǔ
Just so-so or passable quality
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虎踞龙盘
hǔ jù lóng pán
Commanding imposing strategic position
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虎头蛇尾
hǔ tóu shé wěi
Strong start with weak finish
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如虎添翼
rú hǔ tiān yì
Add to one's strength; become even more powerful
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 与虎谋皮 mean in English?
与虎谋皮 (yǔ hǔ móu pí) literally translates to “With tiger plot skin” and is used to express “Asking someone to sacrifice their core interests”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Strategy & Action category.
When is 与虎谋皮 used?
Situation: Negotiating with the monopoly about fair pricing was like asking a tiger for its own hide
What is the pinyin for 与虎谋皮?
The pinyin pronunciation for 与虎谋皮 is “yǔ hǔ móu pí”.