百战百胜
百战百胜 (bǎi zhàn bǎi shèng) literally means “hundred battles, hundred victories” and expresses “consistent success”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving success and perseverance.
Also searched as: bai zhan bai sheng, bai zhan bai sheng,百战百胜 meaning, 百战百胜 in english
Consistent success
Pronunciation: bǎi zhàn bǎi shèng Literal meaning: Hundred battles, hundred victories
Origin & Usage
The Guanzi uses it first, but the line everyone quotes is Sun Tzu's, and there it is a warning rather than a compliment: to win a hundred victories (百胜) in a hundred battles (百战) is not the highest skill — the highest skill is to break the enemy's resistance without fighting at all. Read in context the phrase is a foil, naming the good outcome that a better strategist would not have needed in the first place. Ordinary use has lost the irony completely and takes it as straightforward praise for someone who wins everything, which is worth knowing if you ever meet it in the original.
Examples
English: "Her strategic planning ensured that her team won every competition they entered."
Chinese: 她的战略规划确保了她的团队百战百胜。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about success & perseverance
战无不胜
zhàn wú bù shèng
Win every battle; be undefeated
Learn more →
背水一战
bèi shuǐ yī zhàn
Fight with total commitment having no retreat
Learn more →
胆战心惊
dǎn zhàn xīn jīng
Extreme fear or anxiety
Learn more →
稳操胜券
wěn cāo shèng quàn
Have victory in the bag; be certain to win
Learn more →
胜券在握
shèng quàn zài wò
Have victory assured; be confident of winning
Learn more →
旗开得胜
qí kāi dé shèng
Win at the very start; immediate success
Learn more →
人定胜天
rén dìng shèng tiān
Human effort can overcome nature
Learn more →
优胜劣汰
yōu shèng liè tài
Natural selection eliminates the unfit
Learn more →
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 百战百胜 mean in English?
百战百胜 (bǎi zhàn bǎi shèng) literally translates to “Hundred battles, hundred victories” and is used to express “Consistent success”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Success & Perseverance category.
When is 百战百胜 used?
Situation: Her strategic planning ensured that her team won every competition they entered.
What is the pinyin for 百战百胜?
The pinyin pronunciation for 百战百胜 is “bǎi zhàn bǎi shèng”.