人为刀俎，我为鱼肉
rén​wéi​dāo​zǔ​wǒ​wéi​yú​ròu

to be at someone's mercy

rén​wéi​dāo​zǔ​wǒ​wéi​yú​ròu to be at someone's mercy
  1. 人 rén noun
    person
    person; people; human being; a human
  2. 为 為 wéi verbpreposition
    to be
    to be; to become; to act as; to serve as; to take as
  3. 刀俎 dāo​zǔ
    knife and chopping block; oppressor
    a butcher's knife and a chopping board; (metaphorical) one who has power over others, such as an oppressor or persecutor
  4. ， wǒ
    non-Chinese
  5. 我 wǒ pronoun
    I
    I; me; myself
  6. 为 為 wéi verbpreposition
    to be
    to be; to become; to act as; to serve as; to take as
  7. 鱼肉 魚肉 yú​ròu
    victims of oppression
    people who are treated like fish and meat on a chopping block, meaning they are helpless victims of someone's cruelty

rén​wéi​dāo​zǔ​wǒ​wéi​yú​ròu at another's mercy
  1. 人为 人為 rén​wéi
    human effort
    human attempt or effort; what a person does or can achieve. Often used in the context of personal agency vs. fate or nature.
  2. 刀俎 dāo​zǔ
    knife and chopping block; oppressor
    a butcher's knife and a chopping board; (metaphorical) one who has power over others, such as an oppressor or persecutor
  3. ， wǒ
    non-Chinese
  4. 我 wǒ pronoun
    I
    I; me; myself
  5. 为 為 wéi verbpreposition
    to be
    to be; to become; to act as; to serve as; to take as
  6. 鱼肉 魚肉 yú​ròu
    victims of oppression
    people who are treated like fish and meat on a chopping block, meaning they are helpless victims of someone's cruelty