百戰百勝
Chinese
a hundred battles; many battles | to win a hundred victories; to win every battle; to be ever-victorious | ||
---|---|---|---|
trad. (百戰百勝) | 百戰 | 百勝 | |
simp. (百战百胜) | 百战 | 百胜 | |
Literally: “to fight a hundred battles and win a hundred victories”. |
Etymology
From The Art of War:
- 是故百戰百勝,非善之善者也;不戰而屈人之兵,善之善者也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
- From: The Art of War, circa 5th century BCE
- Shìgù bǎizhànbǎishèng, fēi shàn zhī shàn zhě yě; bù zhàn ér qū rén zhī bīng, shàn zhī shàn zhě yě. [Pinyin]
- Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.
是故百战百胜,非善之善者也;不战而屈人之兵,善之善者也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
Alternatively, from Guanzi:
- 是故以眾擊寡,以治擊亂,以富擊貧,以能擊不能,以教卒練士擊敺眾白徒,故十戰十勝,百戰百勝。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
- From: Guanzi, 5th century BCE to 220 CE
- Shìgù yǐ zhòng jī guǎ, yǐ zhì jī luàn, yǐ fù jī pín, yǐ néng jī bùnéng, yǐ jiàozú liànshì jī qūzhòng báitú, gù shí zhàn shí shèng, bǎizhànbǎishèng. [Pinyin]
- The reason for this is that the many should be used to attack the few, the well organized to attack the disorganized, the well equipped to attack the poorly equipped, the able to attack the incompetent, well-instructed troops and trained knights to attack impressed hordes and untrained conscripts. As a result, in ten battles there will be ten victories; in a hundred battles, a hundred victories.
是故以众击寡,以治击乱,以富击贫,以能击不能,以教卒练士击驱众白徒,故十战十胜,百战百胜。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
Pronunciation
Descendants
Sino-Xenic (百戰百勝):
- → Japanese: 百戰百勝 (hyakusenhyakushō)
- → Korean: 백전백승(百戰百勝) (baekjeonbaekseung)
- → Vietnamese: bách chiến bách thắng (百戰百勝)
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