Proverb / Kotowaza
漁夫の利
A situation where a third party steps in and takes the profit while two others are busy fighting.
The fisherman's profit
Quick Answer
A situation where a third party steps in and takes the profit while two others are busy fighting.
- Literal Image
- The fisherman's profit
- Closest Equivalent
- Two dogs strive [fight] for a bone and a third runs away with it
- How to Use It
- Used to describe scenarios in politics, business, or daily life where a neutral party benefits from a rivalry, price war, or argument between two other sides.
Meaning
While two parties are preoccupied with a conflict or competition, a bystander intervenes and seizes the reward without having to exert much effort. It highlights how internal strife between rivals can create an easy opportunity for an outsider to gain an advantage.
Literal Image
The fisherman's profit
Equivalent Proverbs
Two dogs strive [fight] for a bone and a third runs away with it
Uses the image of dogs and a bone to convey the same lesson about a third party taking the prize.
How to Use It
Used to describe scenarios in politics, business, or daily life where a neutral party benefits from a rivalry, price war, or argument between two other sides.
Tone
The tone can be critical when highlighting opportunistic behavior, or neutral when describing a fortunate outcome for a bystander.
Examples
二大政党が争う間に第三勢力が漁夫の利を得た。
A third force gained the advantage while the two major political parties were fighting each other.
ライバル企業同士の値下げ競争のおかげで、消費者が漁夫の利を享受した。
Thanks to the price war between rival companies, consumers were the ones who benefited in the end.
二人が口論している隙に、最後の一個を横からいただいた。漁夫の利だ。
While those two were arguing, I snatched the last one for myself; I really came out on top there.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
The kanji and grammar are accessible, but the meaning relies on understanding a specific historical allegory.
漁夫
ぎょふ / gyofu
fisherman
利
り / ri
profit, advantage, or gain
Usage Profile
Usage note: Can sound opportunistic if used to describe your own actions in a serious dispute.
Misread Risk
Do not use it for a gain that comes from hard work; it specifically implies gaining because others are fighting.
Search As
Related Proverbs
Index
Topics, Situations, and Tags
Topics
Situations
Tags
Source Note
Where did this entry get its data from? The reference links are listed below. To understand how to read this section, see Data Sources.