两国相争，不斩来使

Traditional form:

兩國相爭，不斬來使

Pinyin (reading):

liǎngguóxiāngzhēng,bùzhǎnláishǐ

Definitions:

• when two kingdoms are at war, they don't execute envoys (idiom)

Characters:

• 两 - two, both, pair, couple; ounce
• 国 - country, nation, state; national
• 相 - mutual, reciprocal; equal; each other
• 争 - to dispute, to fight, to contend, to strive
• 不 - no, not, un-; negative prefix
• 斩 - to chop, to cut, to sever; to behead
• 来 - to arrive, to come, to return; in the future, later on
• 使 - cause, mission, orders; envoy, messenger, ambassador

Traditional characters:

• 兩 - two, both, pair, couple; ounce
• 國 - country, nation, state; national
• 相 - mutual, reciprocal; equal; each other
• 爭 - to dispute, to fight, to contend, to strive
• 不 - no, not, un-; negative prefix
• 斬 - to chop, to cut, to sever; to behead
• 來 - to arrive, to come, to return; in the future, later on
• 使 - cause, mission, orders; envoy, messenger, ambassador