鷸蚌相爭 yù bàng xiāng zhēng

DEFINITIONS

  1. lit. sandpiper and clam war together (and the fisherman catches both) (idiom); fig. neighbors who can't agree lose out to a third party

CHARACTERS

鷸 yù snipe, kingfisher; Tringa species (various)
蚌 bàng oysters, mussels; mother-of-pearl
相 xiāng
HSK 3
mutual, reciprocal, each other
爭 zhēng to dispute, fight, contend, strive