池鱼之祸 the calamity of the pond fish
Explanation
比喻因受牵连而遭受的灾祸。
A metaphor for the disaster suffered due to being implicated.
Origin Story
话说战国时期，有个隐士，预感到天下将要大乱，便告诫他的弟子说：“不出三年，天下就要大乱了，你们要赶紧离开这里，免遭池鱼之祸。”弟子们半信半疑，犹豫着要不要离开。这时，隐士又补充道：“你们想想，当年楚国发生战争，百姓流离失所，平民百姓又何辜，他们也无一幸免，这就是池鱼之祸啊！”弟子们听了隐士的话，想起那些无辜被卷入战火中的百姓，个个心惊胆战，他们再也不敢犹豫，收拾好行囊，跟着隐士一起离开了这片即将战乱的土地，最终躲过了这场浩劫。
During the Warring States period, a hermit foresaw that the country would soon be in turmoil. He warned his disciples: "In three years, the country will be in chaos. You should quickly leave this place to avoid disaster." The disciples were hesitant. Then, the hermit added: "Think about the war in ancient Chu. The people were displaced, the civilians were innocent and none of them could escape. That's the disaster of the fish in the pond!" After hearing the hermit's words and thinking of the innocents who were caught in the war, the disciples became terrified. They did not hesitate any longer, packed up and left with the hermit the land that was about to be in war, and finally escaped this catastrophe.
Usage
用作宾语；比喻因受牵连而遭受的祸害
Used as an object; a metaphor for the disaster suffered due to being implicated.
Examples
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这场政治斗争，许多无辜的人成了池鱼之祸。
zhe chang zhengzhi douzheng, xu duo wugui de ren cheng le chiyu zhi huo
Many innocent people were victims of this political struggle.
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改革开放初期，一些国有企业因经营不善而倒闭，许多职工也受到了池鱼之祸
gaige kaifang chuqi, yixie guoyou qiye yin jingying bushan er daobi, xu duo zhigong ye shoudaole chiyu zhi huo
In the early days of reform and opening up, some state-owned enterprises went bankrupt due to poor management, and many employees suffered as a result.