趁火打劫 chèn huǒ dǎ jié To take advantage of a fire to rob

Explanation

这个成语比喻乘人之危，谋取私利。

This idiom refers to taking advantage of someone's misfortune to gain personal benefit.

Origin Story

战国时期，有个叫赵括的人，自恃读兵书多，就认为自己比任何人都懂军事，他经常在别人面前夸口说自己可以打败任何敌人。后来，赵国与秦国发生了战争，赵王派赵括代替老将廉颇为帅。赵括刚愎自用，不听从将士们的建议，结果被秦军打得大败，自己也战死沙场。赵王为了挽回败局，不得不请回廉颇。廉颇当时已经是白发苍苍的老人了，但他依然不辱使命，率领军队与秦军作战，终于收复了失地，保住了赵国的国土。赵括的失败，就是因为他不切实际，只会纸上谈兵，没有实战经验。廉颇的成功，是因为他经验丰富，善于根据实际情况调整作战方案。

zhàn guó shí qī, yǒu gè jiào zhào kuò de rén, zì shì dú bīng shū duō, jiù rèn wéi zì jǐ bǐ rè hé rén dōu dǒng jūn shì, tā jīng cháng zài bié rén miàn qián kuā kǒu shuō zì jǐ kě yǐ dǎ bài rè hé dí rén。hòu lái, zhào guó yǔ qín guó fā shēng le zhàn zhēng, zhào wáng pài zhào kuò dài tì lǎo jiāng lián pō wéi shuài。zhào kuò gāng bì zì yòng, bù tīng cóng jiāng shì men de jiàn yì, jié guǒ bèi qín jūn dǎ dé dà bài, zì jǐ yě zhàn sǐ shā chǎng。zhào wáng wèi le huán huí bài jú, bù dé bù qǐng huí lián pō。lián pō dāng shí yǐ jīng shì bái fà cāng cāng de lǎo rén le, dàn tā yī rán bù rǔ shǐ mìng, shuài lǐng jūn duì yǔ qín jūn zhàn zhēng, zhōng yú shōu fù le shī dì, bǎo zhù le zhào guó de guó tǔ。zhào kuò de shī bài, jiù shì yīn wéi tā bù qiè shí jì, zhǐ huì zhǐ shàng tán bīng, méi yǒu shí zhàn jīng yàn。lián pō de chéng gōng, shì yīn wéi tā jīng yàn fēng fù, shàn yú gēn jù shí jì qíng kuàng tiáo zhěng zhàn zhàn fāng àn。

During the Warring States Period in China, there was a man named Zhao Kuo who was very proud of his knowledge of military strategy and claimed to be a better general than anyone else. He often boasted that he could defeat any enemy. Later, a war broke out between Zhao and Qin, and King Zhao appointed Zhao Kuo as commander-in-chief to replace the experienced general Lian Po. However, Zhao Kuo was arrogant and ignored the advice of his soldiers, which led to a devastating defeat of Zhao's army. Zhao Kuo was killed in battle. King Zhao had to recall Lian Po to save the situation. Lian Po was already an old man with white hair at that time, but he still led the army with great success and managed to reclaim the lost territories. Zhao Kuo's failure was due to his inability to put theory into practice, while Lian Po's success was due to his experience and his ability to adapt his battle strategy to the circumstances.

Usage

这个成语用于讽刺那些趁人之危，谋取私利的人。

zhè gè chéng yǔ yòng yú fěng cì nà xiē chèn rén zhī wēi, móu qǔ sī lì de rén。

This idiom is used to satirize those who take advantage of someone's misfortune to gain personal benefit.

Examples

• 看到对手有困难，就趁火打劫，实在是不道德。

  kàn dào duì shǒu yǒu kùn nan, jiù chèn huǒ dǎ jié, shí zài shì bù dào dé。

  It is unethical to take advantage of an opponent's difficulties to rob him.

• 遇到困难，我们应该互相帮助，而不是趁火打劫。

  yù dào kùn nan, wǒ men yīng gāi hù xiāng bāng zhù, ér bù shì chèn huǒ dǎ jié。

  When we encounter difficulties, we should help each other instead of taking advantage of them.

• 资本家们趁火打劫，试图从这场灾难中牟取暴利。

  zī běn jiā men chèn huǒ dǎ jié, shì tú cóng zhè chǎng zāi nàn zhōng móu qǔ bào lì。

  Capitalists are trying to profit from this disaster by taking advantage of the situation.

Related Idioms

• 落井下石

• 趁人之危

• 敲诈勒索

Opposite Idioms

• 雪中送炭

• 仗义执言