meat on the chopping block; vulnerable prey
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesnoun
meat on the chopping block; one who is at the mercy of others; a person or nation vulnerable to oppression
literaryLiterary expression originating from the metaphor of meat placed on a sacrificial stand (俎), ready to be cut. Often used to describe nations or individuals in weak, defenseless positions. Derived from the historical context of '人为刀俎，我为鱼肉'.
Shī失
qù去
fáng防
yù御
néng能
lì力
de的
guó国
jiā家
，
zhǐ只
néng能
chéng成
wéi为
zǔ俎
shàng上
ròu肉
，
rèn任
rén人
zǎi宰
gē割
。
A nation that loses its defensive capability can only become meat on the chopping block, to be carved up at will by others.
Zài在
nà那
gè个
ruò弱
ròu肉
qiáng强
shí食
de的
shí时
dài代
，
xiǎo小
guó国
bù不
guò过
shì是
zǔ俎
shàng上
ròu肉
。
In that era of the law of the jungle, small countries were nothing but meat on the chopping board.
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Tā他
háo毫
wú无
fáng防
bèi备
de地
zǒu走
jìn进
qù去
，
jiǎn简
zhí直
chéng成
le了
zǔ俎
shàng上
ròu肉
。
He walked in completely unprepared, practically becoming a sitting duck.