兵不厌诈
- Literal
- war does not tire of deceit
- Figurative
- In war, and in any contest, deceiving your opponent is fair game; often invoked, half in jest, to excuse a trick. All's fair in love and war.
Where does 兵不厌诈 come from?
It comes from the Han Feizi, chapter "Nan Yi." Before facing the larger army of Chu at Chengpu, Duke Wen of Jin consulted his adviser Jiu Fan, who replied that a man who cares for ritual never tires of loyalty and good faith, but in battle one never tires of deceit, so the duke should deceive the enemy. Another adviser, Yong Ji, objected that deceit pays off once and then no more. The duke followed Jiu Fan and won, yet when rewarding his men he put Yong Ji first, since his advice would serve for generations. Today it names a general principle, not a specific maneuver like 声东击西.
Source (出处): 《韩非子·难一》
How is 兵不厌诈 used? Two examples
- 下棋时他故意露出破绽引我上当，还笑着说兵不厌诈。
During a game of chess he left an opening on purpose to lure me in, then laughed and said all's fair in war.
- 谈判桌上兵不厌诈，别一开始就把底牌全亮出来。
At the negotiating table, a little deception is part of the game; don't show your whole hand at the start.
In Wanyu, all 400 chengyu have audio on every sentence, and you can save them to your decks and review them with spaced repetition. Free.
