Meanings
proverb
alternative my enemy's enemy is my friend
- It is sometimes necessary to cooperate with a person one does not like or agree with, in order to combat a common threat.
Translations
Arabic عَدُوُّ عَدُوِّي صَدِيقِي
- عَدُوُّ عَدُوِّي صَدِيقِي (ʕaduwwu ʕaduwwī ṣadīqī)it is sometimes necessary to cooperate with a person one does not like or agree with, in order to combat a common threat
Chinese Cantonese 敵人的敵人就是朋友 /敌人的敌人就是朋友
- 敵人的敵人就是朋友 /敌人的敌人就是朋友 (dik⁶ jan⁴ dik¹ dik⁶ jan⁴ zau⁶ si⁶ pang⁴ jau⁵)it is sometimes necessary to cooperate with a person one does not like or agree with, in order to combat a common threat
Chinese Mandarin 敵人的敵人就是朋友 /敌人的敌人就是朋友
- 敵人的敵人就是朋友 /敌人的敌人就是朋友 (dírén dì dírén jiùshì péngyǒu)it is sometimes necessary to cooperate with a person one does not like or agree with, in order to combat a common threat
Dutch de vijand van mijn vijand is mijn vriend
- de vijand van mijn vijand is mijn vriendit is sometimes necessary to cooperate with a person one does not like or agree with, in order to combat a common threat
Esperanto la malamiko de mia malamiko estas mia amiko
- la malamiko de mia malamiko estas mia amikoit is sometimes necessary to cooperate with a person one does not like or agree with, in order to combat a common threat
Finnish viholliseni vihollinen on ystäväni
- viholliseni vihollinen on ystäväniit is sometimes necessary to cooperate with a person one does not like or agree with, in order to combat a common threat
French l’ennemi de mon ennemi est mon ami
- l’ennemi de mon ennemi est mon amiit is sometimes necessary to cooperate with a person one does not like or agree with, in order to combat a common threat
German der Feind meines Feindes ist mein Freund
- der Feind meines Feindes ist mein Freundit is sometimes necessary to cooperate with a person one does not like or agree with, in order to combat a common threat
Italian il nemico del mio nemico è mio amico
- il nemico del mio nemico è mio amicoit is sometimes necessary to cooperate with a person one does not like or agree with, in order to combat a common threat
Korean 내 원수의 적이 내 친구 야
- 내 원수의 적이 내 친구 야 (nae wonsuui jeogi nae chin'gu ya)it is sometimes necessary to cooperate with a person one does not like or agree with, in order to combat a common threat
Polish wróg mojego wroga jest moim przyjacielem
- wróg mojego wroga jest moim przyjacielemit is sometimes necessary to cooperate with a person one does not like or agree with, in order to combat a common threat
Portuguese o inimigo do meu inimigo é meu amigo
- o inimigo do meu inimigo é meu amigoit is sometimes necessary to cooperate with a person one does not like or agree with, in order to combat a common threat
Romanian dușmanul dușmanului meu este prietenul meu
- dușmanul dușmanului meu este prietenul meuit is sometimes necessary to cooperate with a person one does not like or agree with, in order to combat a common threat
Spanish el enemigo de mi enemigo es mi amigo
- el enemigo de mi enemigo es mi amigoit is sometimes necessary to cooperate with a person one does not like or agree with, in order to combat a common threat
Tamil எதிரிக்கு எதிரி நண்பன்
- எதிரிக்கு எதிரி நண்பன் (etirikku etiri naṇpaṉ)it is sometimes necessary to cooperate with a person one does not like or agree with, in order to combat a common threat
Turkish düşmanımın düşmanı dostumdur
- düşmanımın düşmanı dostumdurit is sometimes necessary to cooperate with a person one does not like or agree with, in order to combat a common threat
Vietnamese kẻ thù của kẻ thù của tôi là bạn của tôi
- kẻ thù của kẻ thù của tôi là bạn của tôiit is sometimes necessary to cooperate with a person one does not like or agree with, in order to combat a common threat
Cite this entry
APA
the enemy of my enemy is my friend. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20enemy%20of%20my%20enemy%20is%20my%20friend
MLA
“the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20enemy%20of%20my%20enemy%20is%20my%20friend. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “the enemy of my enemy is my friend,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20enemy%20of%20my%20enemy%20is%20my%20friend.
Source: the enemy of my enemy is my friend on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.