xiū xī dǐ dé xiàn jǐng
Thucydides trap (theory that war results when a dominant established power fears the rise of a rival power)
修
xiū
variant of 修[xiu1]
昔
xī
former times
底
dǐ
bottom; base
德
dé
variant of 德[de2]
陷
xiàn
pitfall
阱
jǐng