both sides lose; lose-lose situation
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesidiom
both sides suffer; lose-lose outcome
neutralDescribes a situation where a conflict, competition, or fight results in damage, loss, or injury to all parties involved. It emphasizes the futility of such conflict.
Zhè这
chǎng场
jià价
gé格
zhàn战
rú如
guǒ果
chí持
xù续
xià下
qù去
，
liǎng两
jiā家
gōng公
sī司
zhǐ只
huì会
liǎng两
bài败
jù俱
shāng伤
。
If this price war continues, both companies will only end up suffering losses.
Wèi为
le了
yī一
diǎn点
xiǎo小
shì事
zhēng争
chǎo吵
bù不
xiū休
，
zuì最
hòu后
nòng弄
de得
liǎng两
bài败
jù俱
shāng伤
，
hé何
bì必
ne呢
？
Why keep arguing over a trivial matter and end up hurting each other?
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Tā他
men们
de的
shāng商
yè业
jìng竞
zhēng争
fēi非
cháng常
jī激
liè烈
，
dàn但
zuì最
zhōng终
jié结
guǒ果
shì是
liǎng两
bài败
jù俱
shāng伤
，
shuí谁
yě也
méi没
néng能
zhàn占
lǐng领
shì市
chǎng场
。
Their business competition was fierce, but the end result was mutually damaging; neither managed to dominate the market.
Lì历
shǐ史
shàng上
xǔ许
duō多
zhàn战
zhēng争
zuì最
hòu后
dōu都
shì是
liǎng两
bài败
jù俱
shāng伤
，
méi没
yǒu有
zhēn真
zhèng正
de的
yíng赢
jiā家
。
Many wars in history ended with both sides suffering, with no real winner.