城門失火，殃及池魚 chéng mén shī huǒ ， yāng jí chí yú

DEFINITIONS

  1. a fire in the city gates is also a calamity for the fish in the moat (idiom); the bystander will also suffer
  2. fig. you can't escape responsibility for your actions
  3. ask not for whom the bell tolls - it tolls for thee

CHARACTERS

城 chéng
HSK 3
castle; city, town; municipality
門 mén gate, door, entrance, opening
失 shī
HSK 4
lose; make mistake, neglect
火 huǒ
HSK 2
fire, flame; burn; anger, rage
殃 yāng
HSK 6
misfortune, disaster, calamity
及 jí
HSK 4
extend; reach; come up to; and
池 chí
HSK 5
pool, pond; moat; cistern
魚 yú fish; surname; KangXi radical 195