以い夷い攻こう夷い

noun

using foreigners to control foreigners; playing one barbarian state against another

A classical Chinese strategy of employing one foreign or barbarian group to subdue another. In Japanese, it appears mainly in discussions of historical East Asian diplomacy or military tactics. The synonymous expression 夷を以て夷を制す is more common.

See also: 夷を以て夷を制す

• 「以い夷い攻こう夷い」は、中ちゅう国ごくの伝でん統とう的てきな外がい交こう戦せん略りゃくの一ひとつとして知しられている。

  '以夷攻夷' is known as one of the traditional Chinese diplomatic strategies.