beat a drowning dog; metaphor for relentlessly attacking a defeated foe
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesverb phrase
to beat a drowning dog; to pursue and crush a defeated enemy
formalThis idiom emphasizes the necessity to be thorough and uncompromising when dealing with evil or malicious opponents, even when they are already down, to prevent them from recovering and causing more harm. It carries a strong moral imperative and is often used in political or social critique.
Duì对
zhè这
zhǒng种
rén人
，
jiù就
yào要
dǎ打
luò落
shuǐ水
gǒu狗
，
bù不
néng能
gěi给
tā他
chuǎn喘
xī息
de的
jī机
huì会
。
With this kind of person, you must beat the drowning dog and not give him a chance to catch his breath.
Lǔ鲁
Xùn迅
xiān先
sheng生
tí提
chàng倡
“
tòng痛
dǎ打
luò落
shuǐ水
gǒu狗
”
de的
dòu斗
zhēng争
jīng精
shén神
。
Mr. Lu Xun advocated the fighting spirit of 'mercilessly beating the drowning dog.'
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Xiàn现
zài在
tā他
shī失
shì势
le了
，
hěn很
duō多
rén人
xiǎng想
shàng上
qù去
dǎ打
luò落
shuǐ水
gǒu狗
。
Now that he has lost power, many people want to go and beat the drowning dog.
Yuán原
zé则
wèn问
tí题
shàng上
，
duì对
dí敌
rén人
jué绝
bù不
néng能
xīn心
cí慈
shǒu手
ruǎn软
，
bì必
xū须
dǎ打
luò落
shuǐ水
gǒu狗
。
On matters of principle, one must never be soft-hearted towards the enemy; one must beat the drowning dog.