殺雞取卵 shā jī qǔ luǎn

DEFINITIONS

  1. lit. to kill the chicken to get the eggs (idiom)
  2. fig. to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs

CHARACTERS

殺 shā kill, slaughter, murder; hurt; to pare off, reduce, clip
雞 jī chickens; domestic fowl
取 qǔ
HSK 4
take, receive, obtain; select
卵 luǎn egg; ovum; roe; spawn