每天成语
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任人宰割

*The explanations on this page are generated by AI. Please note that they may contain inaccurate information.

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: rèn rén zǎi gē
  • English Translation: To be at someone's mercy (like a lamb to the slaughter)
  • Idiom Composition: 「任」（To allow or let (someone do something).）＋「人」（Others or other people (referring to the oppressor).）＋「宰」（To slaughter or butcher (specifically livestock).）＋「割」（To cut, carve, or divide.）
  • Meaning: To be in a state where one is completely powerless and allows others to dominate, exploit, or "carve up" one's interests, much like livestock being slaughtered and butchered.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「任人宰割」 contains the following nuances:

  • Absolute Powerlessness: It emphasizes a humiliating state where the person or entity has lost the will or means to fight back, becoming a passive victim.
  • Metaphorical Dismantlement: Beyond physical slaughter, it refers to the "carving up" of assets, territory, or legal rights by a dominant power.

3. Usage

「任人宰割」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Historical and Political Context: A formal expression often used to describe a past where a nation was weak and forced to accept unequal treaties or territorial division by foreign powers.
    • Example:「那个贫弱的国家不再是任人宰割的羔羊，已经站起来了。」
      （That weak nation is no longer a lamb at the mercy of others; it has finally stood up.）
  • Business and Competition: Describes a company or individual in a market who has lost all initiative and is being systematically exploited by competitors.
    • Example:「在激烈的市场竞争中，如果没有核心技术，就只能任人宰割。」
      （In fierce market competition, if you don't have core technology, you can only be exploited by others.）
  • Violation of Individual Rights: Used when individuals, such as consumers, are treated unfairly by powerful entities and feel they have no choice but to suffer the loss.
    • Example:「消费者不应沉默，否则只会成为任人宰割的对象。」
      （Consumers should not remain silent, otherwise they will simply become easy targets for exploitation.）

Additional Examples:

  1. 我们必须增强实力，摆脱任人宰割的命运。
    （We must increase our strength to escape the fate of being at the mercy of others.）
  2. 面对霸凌，他不再任人宰割，终于鼓起勇气反抗。
    （Facing bullying, he was no longer a doormat and finally found the courage to resist.）
  3. 这家小公司在大企业的夹缝中生存，几乎是任人宰割。
    （This small company survives in the cracks between giants and is almost completely at their mercy.）
  4. 旧社会的农民没有任何权利，只能任地主宰割。
    （Peasants in the old society had no rights and could only be exploited at will by landlords.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • Historical Context: This idiom is frequently used to describe the "Century of Humiliation" (百年国耻 - bǎi nián guó chǐ), a period when the Qing Dynasty (清朝) was weak and foreign powers divided China's territory like butchers carving meat.
  • Intensity of Metaphor: The word 宰割 (zǎi gē) literally means to slaughter and butcher livestock. Because the imagery is so visceral, the idiom implies a grave situation where one's very survival or fundamental rights are at stake, rather than a minor setback.
  • Literary Reference: While the concept is ancient, it is famously used in modern Chinese literature, such as in the essay "Deng Jiaxian" (邓稼先) by the Nobel laureate Yang Chen-ning (杨振宁), to contrast China's past weakness with its scientific progress.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

The idiom 任人宰割 (rèn rén zǎi gē) describes a humiliating state of absolute vulnerability. It evokes the image of an animal that has no choice but to let others slaughter (宰 - zǎi) and cut it up (割 - gē). In modern usage, it often refers to nations, companies, or individuals who lack the power to defend their own rights and are thus exploited by stronger parties.

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每天成语 | 任人宰割