修昔底德陷阱

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

pitfall