城门失火，殃及池鱼 in English cheng2 men2 shi1 huo3 , yang1 ji2 chi2 yu2 Meaning

Meanings

  • a fire in the city gates is also a calamity for the fish in the moat (idiomatic expression); the bystander will also suffer
  • metaphorically you can't escape responsibility for your actions
  • ask not for whom the bell tolls - it tolls for thee

Simplified Characters

城 门 失 火 ， 殃 及 池 鱼

Traditional Characters

城 門 失 火 ， 殃 及 池 魚

Pinyin

cheng2 men2 shi1 huo3 , yang1 ji2 chi2 yu2

Literal

Literal explanation, with pronunciation and meaning of each character.

城cheng2city walls 门men2surname Men 失shi1to lose 火huo3surname Huo ， 殃yang1calamity 及ji2and 池chi2surname Chi 鱼yu2surname Yu