以眼还眼

以眼還眼

yǐyǎn-huányǎn

idiom

Meanings

HSK 7-9

以眼还眼只会让仇恨越来越深。

Yǐyǎn-huányǎn zhǐ huì ràng chóuhèn yuèláiyuè shēn.

An eye for an eye only makes the hatred deeper and deeper.

HSK 7-9

面对对手的挑衅，他决定以眼还眼，以牙还牙。

Miànduì duìshǒu de tiǎoxìn, tā juédìng yǐyǎn-huányǎn, yǐyá-huányá.

Faced with his opponent's provocation, he decided to answer in kind: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

usage

还 here means "to pay back", not hái "still". Usually paired with 以牙还牙, "a tooth for a tooth".

history

The pairing comes from the Chinese Bible, which renders the Old Testament law "eye for eye, tooth for tooth" in these words.

以 yǐ

眼 yǎn

还 hái