Meaning:

苦肉计 (kǔròujì) ruse of self-injury;Inflict injury upon oneself to gain trust

Usage:

“苦肉计”是指故意伤害自己以骗取对方信任的计策。

“苦肉计”means a trick of having oneself tortured to win the confidence of the other person involved.

Examples:

1. 你别相信他，他在用苦肉计博得你的同情。

    Nǐ bié xiāngxìn tā, tā zài yòng kǔròujì bóde nǐ de tóngqíng.

    Don’t trust him as he is playing a trick to win your sympathy.

2. 小明故意把手割破，妈妈便不让他写作业了。这苦肉计还真管用！

    Xiǎo Míng gùyì bǎ shǒu gē pò,māma biàn bú ràng tā xiě zuòyè le, zhè kǔròujì hái zhēn guǎnyòng

    Xiao Ming hurts his hand on purposes and his mother does not ask him to study. His trick does work.