ze3 dou1 saat3 jan4借刀殺人借刀杀人
Jyutpingze3 dou1 saat3 jan4
Yaleje dōu saat yàhn
Definition
To harm someone by using another person's power or means.
colloquialpeopleother
How it's used
Originating from the Thirty-Six Stratagems, this idiom describes a calculated move where one person manipulates a third party to eliminate a rival. It carries a strong connotation of cunning and indirect aggression. Unlike simply asking for help, this implies the person being used is often unaware they are being manipulated for a malicious purpose.
Examples
He wants to use you to attack someone else by getting you to scold them.
In this movie, how does the protagonist use others to do their dirty work?
Related words
Common phrases
using the tactic of borrowing a knife to kill
the scheme of borrowing a knife to kill
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe someone simply asking for a favor or delegating a task. It specifically requires a malicious intent to harm or disadvantage a third party through an intermediary.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
