at others' mercy; helpless against those in power
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 2 examplesidiom
to be at others' mercy; others hold the power of life and death while one is in a position to be slaughtered
literaryOriginally from the story of Hongmen Banquet in Records of the Grand Historian (《史记·项羽本纪》). Used to describe a situation where one party is completely powerless against another who holds absolute power.
Zài在
zhè这
zhǒng种
shí实
lì力
xuān悬
shū殊
de的
tán谈
pàn判
zhōng中
，
wǒ我
men们
rén人
wéi为
dāo刀
zǔ俎
，
wǒ我
wéi为
yú鱼
ròu肉
，
gēn根
běn本
méi没
yǒu有
tǎo讨
jià价
huán还
jià价
de的
yú余
dì地
。
In such a lopsided negotiation, we were completely at their mercy and had no room to bargain at all.
Miàn面
duì对
qiáng强
dà大
de的
duì对
shǒu手
，
rú如
guǒ果
wǒ我
men们
bù不
zuò做
hǎo好
zhǔn准
bèi备
，
jiù就
huì会
xiàn陷
rù入
rén人
wéi为
dāo刀
zǔ俎
，
wǒ我
wéi为
yú鱼
ròu肉
de的
bèi被
dòng动
jú局
miàn面
。
When facing a powerful opponent, if we don't prepare well, we will fall into a passive position where we are at their mercy.