俎上肉

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Chinese

a stand for food at sacrifice
up; on; on top
up; on; on top; upon; first; previous or last; upper; higher; above; previous; to climb; to go into; to go up
 
 meat; flesh
simp. and trad.
(俎上肉) 		俎 上 肉

Etymology

From the Records of the Grand Historian:

如今人方為刀俎，我為魚肉，何辭為。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
如今人方为刀俎，我为鱼肉，何辞为。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE
Rújīn rén fāng wéi dāozǔ, wǒ wéi yúròu, hé cí wéi.
Now they are like the butcher's knife and chopping block, and we are like the fish and meat, what's the use of saying goodbye?

Pronunciation

Noun

俎上肉

  1. (figuratively) helpless victim at somebody's mercy

See also

Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia