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以夷制夷

yǐ yí zhì yí

Definitions

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

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Child Words of 以夷制夷

以
yǐ

to use

制
zhì

to manufacture

夷
yí

non-Han people, esp. to the East of China