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Kotomora

大だいの虫むしを生いかして小しょうの虫むしを殺ころす

Meanings

1

expression, godan verb (-su)

sacrifice a small thing to save a greater one; lose a leg to save one's life

Proverb meaning that it is sometimes necessary to sacrifice something minor in order to preserve something more important. The literal image is of letting a large bug live while killing a small one.