Explaining "The enemy of my enemy is my friend"

Reviewed and edited by

Anwar Kareem 28/09/2024, 21:46

English.me team member

What does it mean?

The phrase suggests that two parties can find common ground and ally with each other against a shared adversary, even if they are not naturally aligned or are otherwise unfriendly.

Tone

Pragmatic and strategic.

Origin

The phrase is believed to have originated from an ancient Sanskrit saying that appeared in the Arthashastra, an ancient Indian treatise on politics, military strategy, and economic policy, written by Kautilya (Chanakya) in the 4th century BCE.

Examples of usage

During the war, the two rival nations became allies, adhering to the principle that ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’.
Despite their differences, the two political parties collaborated because the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
When insects threatened to overrun the crops, farmers welcomed birds despite them usually being pests because the enemy of my enemy is my friend.