顺手牵羊
顺手牵羊 (shùn shǒu qiān yáng) literally means “conveniently lead away a sheep” and expresses “exploit small opportunities”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving strategy and action.
Also searched as: shun shou qian yang, shun shou qian yang,顺手牵羊 meaning, 顺手牵羊 in english
Exploit small opportunities
Pronunciation: shùn shǒu qiān yáng Literal meaning: Conveniently lead away a sheep
Origin & Usage
The twelfth of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, and the mildest in the list: exploit the smallest gap, take the smallest advantage. To lead away (牵) a sheep (羊) in passing (顺手) is deliberately petty — not a campaign but a hand reaching out because the opportunity happened to be there. In modern Chinese it has drifted almost entirely into the sense of casual pilfering, and it is what you say about the guest who leaves with the towels rather than about a strategist.
Examples
English: "He took advantage of the situation, easily guiding his team to victory."
Chinese: 他顺手牵羊，轻松带领团队取得胜利。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about strategy & action
胸有成竹
xiōng yǒu chéng zhú
Have clear plan beforehand
Learn more →
步步为营
bù bù wéi yíng
Advance methodically with caution
Learn more →
退避三舍
tuì bì sān shè
Make concessions to avoid conflict
Learn more →
旁敲侧击
páng qiāo cè jī
Approach indirectly to achieve goal
Learn more →
暗度陈仓
àn dù chén cāng
Achieve secretly through misdirection
Learn more →
釜底抽薪
fǔ dǐ chōu xīn
Eliminate root cause of problem
Learn more →
推波助澜
tuī bō zhù lán
Amplifying existing trends or momentum
Learn more →
鹬蚌相争
yù bàng xiāng zhēng
Mutual conflict benefits third party
Learn more →
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 顺手牵羊 mean in English?
顺手牵羊 (shùn shǒu qiān yáng) literally translates to “Conveniently lead away a sheep” and is used to express “Exploit small opportunities”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Strategy & Action category.
When is 顺手牵羊 used?
Situation: He took advantage of the situation, easily guiding his team to victory.
What is the pinyin for 顺手牵羊?
The pinyin pronunciation for 顺手牵羊 is “shùn shǒu qiān yáng”.
Curated Lists Featuring 顺手牵羊
Year of the Goat 2027: 12 Chinese Idioms and Lucky Greetings — 三阳开泰!
The Year of the Goat begins 6 February 2027. These 12 idioms cover what to actually write in a red envelope — and why the luckiest Goat-year phrases never mention a goat at all.
12 Chinese Goat and Sheep Idioms (羊) — What the Sheep Symbolizes in China
The sheep is hidden inside the Chinese words for beauty, goodness, righteousness and good fortune. Twelve 羊 idioms, what each one means, and why Chinese treats this animal as the root of value itself.