以子之矛，攻子之盾

Traditional form:

以子之矛，攻子之盾

Pinyin (reading):

yǐzǐzhīmáo,gōngzǐzhīdùn

Definitions:

• lit. use sb's spear to attack his shield (idiom, derived from Han Feizi 韓非子／韩非子); turning a weapon against its owner
• fig. to attack an opponent using his own devices
• hoist with his own petard

Characters:

• 以 - according to; so as to; because of; then
• 子 - son, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thing
• 之 - marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase; it, him her, them; to go to
• 矛 - spear, lance
• 攻 - to accuse; to assault; to criticize
• 子 - son, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thing
• 之 - marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase; it, him her, them; to go to
• 盾 - shield; Dutch guilder

Traditional characters:

• 以 - according to; so as to; because of; then
• 子 - son, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thing
• 之 - marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase; it, him her, them; to go to
• 矛 - spear, lance
• 攻 - to accuse; to assault; to criticize
• 子 - son, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thing
• 之 - marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase; it, him her, them; to go to
• 盾 - shield; Dutch guilder