尔虞我诈

爾虞我詐

ěryúwǒzhà

idiom #54,011

Meanings

1 mutual deception
2 each side tries to outwit the other
3 deceit and treachery

Characters

you (classical)

deceive / worry

cheat / swindle

Examples

商场上尔虞我诈，朋友也难免变对手。

Shāngchǎng shàng ěr yú wǒ zhà, péngyou yě nánmiǎn biàn duìshǒu.

In business there's mutual deception; even friends inevitably become rivals.

宫斗剧里全是尔虞我诈的情节。

Gōngdòujù lǐ quán shì ěr yú wǒ zhà de qíngjié.

Palace-intrigue dramas are all scheming and backstabbing.

他受够了公司里尔虞我诈的氛围，辞职了。

Tā shòu gòu le gōngsī lǐ ěr yú wǒ zhà de fēnwéi, cízhí le.

Fed up with the scheming atmosphere at the company, he resigned.

Tips

history

From 《左传·宣公十五年》: 我无尔诈，尔无我虞 ("I will not deceive you, and you will not suspect me") — originally a peace pledge between Chu and Song, later flipped into its opposite meaning.

Stroke Order

尔 ěr

虞 yú

我 wǒ

诈 zhà