池ち魚ぎょの殃わざわい

expression, noun

collateral damage; getting caught up in another's trouble

Idiomatic expression derived from a classical Chinese story; used when an innocent party suffers harm due to a dispute or disaster that is not their own. Often carries a literary or formal tone.

• 隣りん国ごくの戦せん争そうが原げん因いんで、自じ国こくも経けい済ざい的てきな池ち魚ぎょの殃わざわいを被こうむった。

  Because of the war in the neighboring country, our own nation also suffered collateral economic damage.

• 彼かれは上じょう司し同どう士しの喧けん嘩かに巻まき込こまれて、まさに池ち魚ぎょの殃わざわいだった。

  He got caught up in the fight between his bosses; it was truly a case of collateral damage.