為淵驅魚，為叢驅雀

Chinese

		because of; for; to because of; for; to; act as; take...to be; to be; to do; to serve as; to become	abyss	to expel; to urge on; to drive to expel; to urge on; to drive; to run quickly	fish		because of; for; to because of; for; to; act as; take...to be; to be; to do; to serve as; to become	cluster; collection; collection of books cluster; collection; collection of books; thicket	to expel; to urge on; to drive to expel; to urge on; to drive; to run quickly	bird; lentigo; sparrow
trad. (為淵驅魚，為叢驅雀/為淵敺魚，為叢敺雀)		為	淵	驅/敺	魚	，	為	叢	驅/敺	雀
simp. (为渊驱鱼，为丛驱雀)		为	渊	驱	鱼	，	为	丛	驱	雀
alternative forms		為淵驅魚，為叢驅爵／為淵敺魚，為叢敺爵／为渊驱鱼，为丛驱爵
Literally: “to drive the fish into deep waters and the sparrows into the thickets”.

Etymology

From the Mencius.

故為淵敺魚者，獺也；為叢敺爵者，鸇也；為湯武敺民者，桀與紂也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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故为渊驱鱼者，獭也；为丛驱爵者，鹯也；为汤武驱民者，桀与纣也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE

Gù wèiyuānqūyú zhě, tǎ yě; wèicóngqūquè zhě, zhān yě; wèi Tāng Wǔ qū mín zhě, Jié yǔ Zhòu yě. [Pinyin]

Accordingly, as the otter aids the deep waters, driving the fish into them, and the hawk aids the thickets, driving the little birds to them, so Jie and Zhou aided Tang and Wu, driving the people to them.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): wèiyuānqūyú, wèicóngqūquè

  (Zhuyin): ㄨㄟˋ ㄩㄢ ㄑㄩ ㄩˊ , ㄨㄟˋ ㄘㄨㄥˊ ㄑㄩ ㄑㄩㄝˋ

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: wèiyuānqūyú, wèicóngqūquè
    • Zhuyin: ㄨㄟˋ ㄩㄢ ㄑㄩ ㄩˊ , ㄨㄟˋ ㄘㄨㄥˊ ㄑㄩ ㄑㄩㄝˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: wèiyuancyuyú, wèicóngcyucyuè
    • Wade–Giles: wei⁴-yüan¹-chʻü¹-yü², wei⁴-tsʻung²-chʻü¹-chʻüeh⁴
    • Yale: wèi-ywān-chyū-yú-, wèi-tsúng-chyū-chywè
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: weyiuanchiuyu, weytsorngchiuchiueh
    • Palladius: вэйюаньцюйюй, вэйцунцюйцюэ (vɛjjuanʹcjujjuj, vɛjcuncjujcjue)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /weɪ̯⁵¹ ɥɛn⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰy⁵⁵ y³⁵ weɪ̯⁵¹ t͡sʰʊŋ³⁵ t͡ɕʰy⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰy̯ɛ⁵¹/

Idiom

為淵驅魚，為叢驅雀

1. (figuratively) to produce the exact opposite effect of what one wished
2. (figuratively, by extension) to drive one's allies or people to the side of the enemy

   • 關門主義「為淵驅魚，為叢驅雀」，把「千千萬萬」和「浩浩蕩蕩」都趕到敵人那一邊去，只博得敵人的喝采。 [MSC, trad.]
     关门主义「为渊驱鱼，为丛驱雀」，把「千千万万」和「浩浩荡荡」都赶到敌人那一边去，只博得敌人的喝采。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 1935, 毛澤東 (Mao Zedong), 《論反對日本帝國主義的策略》 (On Tactics Against Japanese Imperialism), 《毛澤東選集》. English translation based on the Foreign Languages Press edition

     Guānménzhǔyì “wèiyuānqūyú, wèicóngqūquè”, bǎ “qiānqiānwànwàn” hé “hàohàodàngdàng” dōu gǎndào dírén nà yī biān qù, zhǐ bódé dírén de hècǎi. [Pinyin]

     Closed-doorism just "drives the fish into deep waters and the sparrows into the thickets", and it will drive the millions upon millions of the masses, this mighty army, over to the enemy's side, which will certainly win his acclaim.

Synonyms

• (short) 為淵驅魚／为渊驱鱼 (wèiyuānqūyú), 為叢驅雀／为丛驱雀 (wèicóngqūquè)