不是鱼死就是网破

Traditional form:

不是魚死就是網破

Pinyin (reading):

bùshìyúsǐjiùshìwǎngpò

Definitions:

• lit. either the fish dies or the net gets torn (idiom)
• fig. it's a life-and-death struggle
• it's either him or me

Characters:

• 不 - no, not, un-; negative prefix
• 是 - to be; indeed, right, yes; okay
• 鱼 - fish
• 死 - dead; death; impassable, inflexible
• 就 - just, simply; to go to; to approach, near
• 是 - to be; indeed, right, yes; okay
• 网 - net; network
• 破 - to break, to rout; to ruin, to destroy

Traditional characters:

• 不 - no, not, un-; negative prefix
• 是 - to be; indeed, right, yes; okay
• 魚 - fish
• 死 - dead; death; impassable, inflexible
• 就 - just, simply; to go to; to approach, near
• 是 - to be; indeed, right, yes; okay
• 網 - net; network
• 破 - to break, to rout; to ruin, to destroy