にく
肉
　
を
き
切
　
ら
　
せ
　
て
ほね
骨
　
を
た
断
　
つ

expression, Godan verb

Idiomatic expression.
  1. to lose a battle to win the war, to incur damage so as to inflict greater damage on a foe, to allow one's flesh to be cut in order to sever another's bone.

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
にく
肉
　
を
き
切
　
ら
　
せ
　
て
ほね
骨
　
を
た
断
　
つ
 肉を切らせて骨を断つ にくをきらせてほねをたつ

Contained Kanji Breakdown

meat
ニク　しし (2nd, N4)
inside, within, between
ナイ　うち　ダイ (2nd, N3)
upside-down box radical (no. 13)
キョウ　ケイ (Kentei 1)
person
ひと　ニン　ジン (1st, N5)
cut, cutoff, be sharp
き.る　セツ　サイ (2nd, N4)
seven
なな　シチ　なの (1st, N5)
sword, saber, knife
かたな　トウ　ち (2nd, N1)
skeleton, bone, remains
ほね　コツ (6th, N2)
cut flesh from bones(剮) variant
カ　ケ　わ.ける
mouth
くち　コウ　ク (1st, N4)
upside-down box radical (no. 13)
キョウ　ケイ (Kentei 1)
month, moon
つき　ゲツ　ガツ (1st, N5)
severance, decline, refuse
ダン　ことわ.る　た.つ (5th, N3)
fishhook radical(乙) variant
rice, USA, metre
ベイ　こめ　マイ (2nd, N3)
to divide
tree, wood
き　モク　こ- (1st, N5)
axe, 1.32 lb, catty
キン (8th, N1)