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Stories/Chinese folklore/The Snipe and the Clam
HSK 4 Chinese reading practice

鹬蚌相争

yù bàng xiāng zhēng

The Snipe and the Clam

A snipe and a clam refuse to release each other, giving a fisherman—and Su Dai—the example needed to stop a war.

RECOMMENDEDHSK 4
READ5 min
HANZI379
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文化
CULTURE

Why does the fisherman win?

鹬蚌相争 comes from the Strategies of the Warring States. It is often completed as 鹬蚌相争，渔翁得利: while two sides exhaust themselves fighting, a third party gains the advantage.

Key vocabulary11 words from this story
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Check your understanding

Answer three questions without looking at the English translation.

01鹬啄蚌的时候，蚌做了什么？
02打鱼的人为什么能同时抓走鹬和蚌？
03苏代认为燕国和赵国长期打下去，谁会得到好处？
0 / 3questions answered
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Chinese idiom guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about 鹬蚌相争

What does 鹬蚌相争 mean in English?

鹬蚌相争 (yù bàng xiāng zhēng) literally means “the snipe and the clam struggle with each other.” It describes two sides exhaust themselves in a dispute while a third party benefits.

When is 鹬蚌相争 used?

Use 鹬蚌相争 when two competitors are so focused on defeating each other that they create an opportunity for someone else. For example: The two leading companies spent months attacking each other, allowing a smaller rival to win the contract—鹬蚌相争，渔翁得利.

What is the pinyin for 鹬蚌相争?

The pinyin pronunciation for 鹬蚌相争 is “yù bàng xiāng zhēng.”