以牙还牙 (yǐ yá huán yá) — an eye for an eye; tit for tat; to repay evil with evil
Definition
Idiom meaning to retaliate in kind — a blow for a blow. Frames revenge as a deliberate, tit-for-tat strategy, distinct from the looser 报复 (broader 'retaliate, get even').
idiom
an eye for an eyetit for tatto repay evil with evil
Examples
- 以牙还牙，。Tā jué dìng yǐ yá huán yá, ràng duì fāng yě cháng cháng kǔ tou.He decided to return tit for tat and make the other side suffer too.
- ，以牙还牙。Zài guó jì guān xì zhōng, yǐ yá huán yá de cè lüè wǎng wǎng dǎo zhì chōng tū shēng jí.In international relations, an eye-for-an-eye strategy often escalates conflicts.
- 以牙还牙，。Tā bú zàn chéng yǐ yá huán yá de zuò fǎ, rèn wéi yīng gāi kuān róng dài rén.He disapproves of the tit-for-tat approach, believing one should be tolerant.
Appears in
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