Chinese word

以牙还牙

Pronunciation

Pinyinyǐ yá huán yá

Meaning

  • idiomretaliate in kind

Example

你欺负他，他会以牙还牙。nǐ qī fù tā tā huì yǐ yá huán yá

If you bully him, he will retaliate in kind.

Illustration for 以牙还牙 (retaliate in kind)

More examples

公司被攻讦后，不应通过以牙还牙来回应。gōng sī bèi gōng jié hòu bù yīng tōng guò yǐ yá huán yá lái huí yìng

After the company is criticized, it should not retaliate in kind.

Core concept

A matching response that answers harm with the same method or force.

Common phrases

  • 采取以牙还牙的做法cái qǔ yǐ yá huán yá de zuò fǎ

    adopt a tit-for-tat approach

  • 以牙还牙的态度yǐ yá huán yá de tài dù

    a tit-for-tat attitude

  • 用以牙还牙的手段yòng yǐ yá huán yá de shǒu duàn

    use tit-for-tat tactics

Similar words

以眼还眼yí yǎn huán yǎn: Taking revenge by treating someone in the same way they treated others.
以暴制暴yǐ bào zhì bào: Stopping wrongdoing by answering it with equally strong measures.

Definition in Chinese

用相同的手段对别人进行报复或反击，强调以等量或同样的方法回应对方的侵害或冒犯。yòng xiāng tóng de shǒu duàn duì bié rén jìn xíng bào fù huò fǎn jī qiáng diào yǐ děng liàng huò tóng yàng de fāng fǎ huí yìng duì fāng de qīn hài huò mào fàn

Word origin

以 (yǐ, "use") + 牙 (yá, "tooth") + 还 (huán, "return") + 牙 (yá, "tooth") forms the image of answering a bite with a bite.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Chinese, this idiom usually suggests deliberate payback, so it sounds stronger than a simple disagreement or correction.

Other meanings

  • take revengeidiom

Opposites

  • 以德报怨yǐ dé bào yuànrepay wrongs with kindnessidiom

Word lists with this word