売うり言こと葉ばに買かい言こと葉ば

expression, noun

tit for tat; verbal retaliation

Describes a situation where one person's harsh words provoke an equally harsh reply, often escalating a quarrel. Used as a set expression.

• あの喧けん嘩かは売うり言こと葉ばに買かい言こと葉ばで始はじまった。

  That fight started with one harsh word leading to another.

• 売うり言こと葉ばに買かい言こと葉ばで、つい言いい過すぎてしまった。

  It was tit for tat, and I ended up saying too much.