In my native language we have the expression "only iron can cut iron" which means: a force is best confronted with a force of the same nature, or: it takes someone at the same level as someone else to defeat them.
For example:
It wasn't until yesterday that this arrogant man realized he wasn't
the best chess player in the world when that guy from the other
neighborhood beat him. Only iron can cut iron.
Other examples:
- vaccines that use a weakened form of the virus that causes a disease.
- Using controlled fires to stop a wildfire.
Is there an idiom with the same meaning in English?
Best Answer
In English, we have diamond cut diamond, although I think fight fire with fire is more appropriate in the situation described in the OP.