认贼作父 Rèn Zéi Zuò Fù regard the enemy as father

Explanation

比喻甘心投降敌人，放弃自己的立场和原则。通常指在面对强敌或压力时，放弃自己的立场和原则，屈服于对方，甚至与敌人合作。

It is a metaphor for willingly surrendering to the enemy, giving up one's position and principles. It usually refers to giving up one's position and principles in the face of a strong enemy or pressure, yielding to the other side, or even cooperating with the enemy.

Origin Story

话说三国时期，蜀汉名将关羽镇守荆州，与东吴孙权形成对峙局面。东吴为了削弱蜀汉的实力，暗中与曹操勾结，准备偷袭荆州。然而，关羽过于骄傲自大，轻敌冒进，最终被东吴和曹操联军击败，身首异处。这便是“认贼作父”的反面教材。关羽的失败，也正说明了在面对复杂局面时，不能盲目自信，要审时度势，明辨敌友，才能做出正确的判断，才能取得最终的胜利。而“认贼作父”则恰恰相反，它告诫我们，不能为了眼前的利益而放弃原则，不能与敌人同流合污，更不能甘心做敌人的走狗，否则必将自食其果。

huà shuō sān guó shí qī, shǔ hàn míng jiàng guān yǔ zhèn shǒu jīng zhōu, yǔ dōng wú sūn quán xíng chéng duì zhì jué miàn. dōng wú wèi le xuē ruò shǔ hàn de shí lì, àn zhōng yǔ cáo cāo gōu jié, zhǔn bèi tōu xí jīng zhōu. rán ér, guān yǔ guò yú jiāo ào zì dà, qīng dí mào jìn, zuì zhōng bèi dōng wú hé cáo cāo lián jūn jībài, shēn shǒu yì chù. zhè biàn shì ‘rèn zéi zuò fù’ de fǎn miàn jiào cái. guān yǔ de shībài, yě zhèng shuō míng le zài miàn duì fù zá jué miàn shí, bù néng máng mù zì xìn, yào shěn shí dù shì, míng biàn dí yǒu, cái néng zuò chū zhèng què de pàn duàn, cái néng qǔ dé zuì zhōng de shèng lì. ér ‘rèn zéi zuò fù’ zé qià qià xiāng fǎn, tā gào jiè wǒ men, bù néng wèi le yǎn qián de lì yì ér fàng qì yuán zé, bù néng yǔ dí rén tóng liú hé wū, gèng bù néng gān xīn zuò dí rén de zǒu gǒu, fǒu zé bì jiāng zì shí qí guǒ.

During the Three Kingdoms period in China, Guan Yu, a renowned general of Shu Han, was stationed at Jingzhou, creating a stalemate with Sun Quan of Eastern Wu. To weaken Shu Han, Eastern Wu secretly colluded with Cao Cao, planning a surprise attack on Jingzhou. However, Guan Yu's arrogance and underestimation of the enemy led to his defeat and death at the hands of the combined forces of Eastern Wu and Cao Cao. This serves as a cautionary tale against the idiom 'ren zei zuo fu'. Guan Yu’s failure shows that, when faced with a complex situation, one should not be blindly confident. One should carefully consider the time and circumstances, and clearly distinguish between friends and enemies, so as to make the right decision and achieve victory. In contrast, 'ren zei zuo fu' warns against abandoning principles for short-term gains, colluding with the enemy, and becoming a willing tool of the enemy. Otherwise, one will reap what one has sown.

Usage

用于形容那些不顾原则，甘心投靠敌人的人。多用于贬义。

yòng yú xíng róng nà xiē bù gù yuán zé, gān xīn tóu kào dí rén de rén. duō yòng yú biǎn yì

Used to describe those who disregard their principles and willingly surrender to the enemy. Mostly used in a derogatory sense.

Examples

• 某些人为了个人利益，不惜认贼作父。

  mǒuxiē rén wèile gèrén lìyì, bù xī rèn zéi zuò fù.

  Some people, for their own self-interest, would go so far as to collaborate with the enemy.

• 面对强敌，他竟然认贼作父，令人不齿。

  miàn duì qiáng dí, tā jìng rán rèn zéi zuò fù, lìng rén bù chǐ

  Faced with a strong enemy, he unexpectedly sided with them, causing contempt.

Related Idioms

• 投降

• 叛变

• 屈服

Opposite Idioms

• 忠贞不渝

• 坚贞不屈