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以夷制夷

Mandarin · pinyin yǐ yí zhì yí

to use foreigners to subdue foreigners (idiom); let the barbarians fight it out among themselves (traditional policy of successive dynasties)
Use Western science and technology to counter imperialist encroachment. (late Qing modernizing slogan)

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Characters in this entry

以: yǐ · by means of; thereby, therefore; consider as; in order to
夷: yí · ancient barbarian tribes
制: zhì · system; establish; overpower

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

3–2–4–2 · yi3 yi2 zhi4 yi2

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Rime Cantonese 粵拼

ji5 ji4 zai3 ji4

Cantonese word readings for 以夷制夷. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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