坐山观虎斗 zuò shān guān hǔ dòu

stay out, watch others fight, then profit

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. watch in safety whilst others fight then reap the rewards when both sides are exhausted (idiom)
  2. 2. sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight

Characters

Character Meaning
坐 zuò HSK 1
to sit; to take (a bus, airplane etc); to take a seat
山 shān HSK 3
mountain; hill; anything that resembles a mountain
观 guān HSK 4
point of view; concept; to watch
虎 hǔ HSK 4
tiger
斗 dòu HSK 5
to fight; to contend; to struggle