hoist by one's own petard; backfire on oneself
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
to be hoist by one's own petard; to suffer from one's own rules; to backfire on oneself
formalOriginates from the story of Shang Yang (商鞅), a Qin dynasty statesman who created harsh laws and was eventually executed by those same laws after Duke Xiao of Qin died. Used to criticize someone harmed by their own strict policies or schemes.
Tā他
zhì制
dìng定
le了
yán严
gé格
de的
guī规
dìng定
，
jié结
guǒ果
zì自
jǐ己
wéi违
fǎn反
le了
，
zhēn真
shì是
zuò作
fǎ法
zì自
bì毙
。
He made strict rules but ended up breaking them himself—truly hoist by his own petard.
Nǐ你
rú如
guǒ果
zhè这
yàng样
xiàn陷
hài害
bié别
rén人
，
zuì最
zhōng终
huì会
zuò作
fǎ法
zì自
bì毙
de的
。
If you plot against others like this, you'll eventually be caught in your own trap.
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Zuò作
fǎ法
zì自
bì毙
de的
gù故
shi事
gào告
su诉
wǒ我
men们
，
hài害
rén人
zhōng终
hài害
jǐ己
。
The story of 'hoist by one's own petard' tells us that harming others ends up harming oneself.