驱羊攻虎
驱羊攻虎 (qū yáng gōng hǔ) literally means “drive sheep to attack a tiger” and expresses “send the weak against the strong to certain defeat”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving strategy and action.
Also searched as: qu yang gong hu, qu yang gong hu,驱羊攻虎 meaning, 驱羊攻虎 in english
Send the weak against the strong to certain defeat
Pronunciation: qū yáng gōng hǔ Literal meaning: Drive sheep to attack a tiger
Origin & Usage
From the Records of the Grand Historian (《史记·张仪列传》), with a near-identical passage in the Stratagems of the Warring States (《战国策·楚策一》). The strategist Zhang Yi (张仪), arguing for the state of Qin, told the King of Chu that an alliance of the weaker states against Qin was 'no different from driving a flock of sheep to attack a fierce tiger' (无以异于驱群羊而攻猛虎) — a tiger and sheep are plainly no match. Why, he asked, would the king side with the sheep instead of the tiger? The argument helped break the anti-Qin alliance. The idiom describes pitting a weak force against an overwhelming one, and the misjudgement of whoever orders it.
Examples
English: "Launching a small startup straight at the market leader's core product is driving sheep against a tiger."
Chinese: 以这点兵力去进攻敌军主力，无异于驱羊攻虎。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about strategy & action
虎入羊群
hǔ rù yáng qún
Unstoppable force against the defenceless
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羊入虎口
yáng rù hǔ kǒu
Walk helplessly into certain danger
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羊质虎皮
yáng zhì hǔ pí
Imposing outside, timid within
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十羊九牧
shí yáng jiǔ mù
Too many officials for too few people
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顺手牵羊
shùn shǒu qiān yáng
Exploit small opportunities
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羚羊挂角
líng yáng guà jiǎo
Artistry that leaves no trace
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歧路亡羊
qí lù wáng yáng
Too many choices lead nowhere
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亡羊得牛
wáng yáng dé niú
A small loss that yields a greater gain
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 驱羊攻虎 mean in English?
驱羊攻虎 (qū yáng gōng hǔ) literally translates to “Drive sheep to attack a tiger” and is used to express “Send the weak against the strong to certain defeat”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Strategy & Action category.
When is 驱羊攻虎 used?
Situation: Launching a small startup straight at the market leader's core product is driving sheep against a tiger.
What is the pinyin for 驱羊攻虎?
The pinyin pronunciation for 驱羊攻虎 is “qū yáng gōng hǔ”.