以毒攻毒
yǐ dú gōng dú
to fight poison with poison; to use one harmful thing against another
Character by character
以yǐ
use
use
毒dú
poison
poison
攻gōng
attack
attack
毒dú
poison
poison
Example
用改造过的病毒去攻击癌细胞，听起来有点像以毒攻毒。
Using modified viruses to attack cancer cells sounds a bit like fighting poison with poison.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
Originally a principle of traditional medicine: toxic substances such as arsenic or scorpions used against disease. Now also figurative, of beating someone at their own game. It fits antibiotics loosely: penicillin is a substance that one microbe, a mould, makes against others.
Learn this in Lesson 155 · HSK 7–9: 吊瓶大国 (A nation of IV drips)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. This lesson is free.
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