蚕食 (cán shí) — to nibble away at; to encroach upon gradually
Definition
Literally 'a silkworm eating' (mulberry leaves bit by bit), used for gradual, steady encroachment — territory, market share, or land lost a little at a time.
verb
to nibble away atto encroach upon gradually
Examples
- 蚕食。Zhè ge guó jiā tōng guò qiān yuē zhú bù cán shí lín guó de lǐng tǔ.This country nibbled away at its neighbor's territory through treaties.
- 蚕食。Dà gōng sī zhèng zài cán shí xiǎo qǐ yè de shì chǎng fèn é.Large companies are gradually eating into the market share of small businesses.
- 蚕食。Fēng shā rì fù yí rì dì cán shí zhe zhè piàn gēng dì.The wind and sand nibbled away at this farmland day after day.
Appears in
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