避其锐气

Pronunciation: bì qí ruì qì Literal meaning: Avoid enemy's vigor

Origin & Usage

This strategic idiom originates from the ancient military text 'The Art of War' by Sun Tzu (孙子兵法). It advises military leaders to avoid (避, bì) confronting the enemy's initial vigor (锐气, ruì qì) when their morale is high. Instead, it suggests waiting until the enemy becomes fatigued and complacent before launching an attack. This tactic was famously applied during the Battle of Changshao (长勺之战) in the Spring and Autumn period, where the strategist Cao Gui (曹刿) led the state of Lu to victory by exploiting the enemy's diminishing morale. In modern contexts, this idiom is used to describe strategies in competitive fields, emphasizing the importance of timing and patience in overcoming opponents.

Examples

English: "In a heated debate, it's sometimes better to avoid the sharp points and focus on common ground."

Chinese: 在激烈的辩论中，有时候避其锐气更能达成共识。