人为刀俎,我为鱼肉

rén wéi dāo zǔ , wǒ wéi yú ròu

lit. to be the meat on sb's chopping block (idiom)

fig. to be at sb's mercy

rén

person; people

wéi

variant of 為|为[wei2]

dāo

knife; blade; single-edged sword; cutlass (CL:把[ba3])

a stand for food at sacrifice

,

I; me; my

wéi

variant of 為|为[wei2]

fish (CL:條|条[tiao2],尾[wei3])

ròu

meat