退避三舍
退避三舍 (tuì bì sān shè) literally means “retreat three camps” and expresses “make concessions to avoid conflict”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving strategy and action.
Also searched as: tui bi san she, tui bi san she,退避三舍 meaning, 退避三舍 in english
Make concessions to avoid conflict
Pronunciation: tuì bì sān shè Literal meaning: Retreat three camps
Origin & Usage
Chong'er of Jin, sheltering in Chu as an exile, was asked what he would give in return and answered that if the two states ever met in battle he would withdraw three stages (退避三舍). A 舍 was a day's march, thirty li. Years later, as Duke Wen, he was facing Chu at Chengpu and did exactly that — and the withdrawal drew the Chu army out of position and into the defeat that followed. The Zuo Zhuan tells it. The phrase means yielding ground on purpose, and the story is careful that the yielding was also the tactic.
Examples
English: "The company voluntarily decreased their market share to avoid monopoly accusations"
Chinese: 公司主动减少市场份额以避免垄断指控
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 退避三舍 mean in English?
退避三舍 (tuì bì sān shè) literally translates to “Retreat three camps” and is used to express “Make concessions to avoid conflict”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Strategy & Action category.
When is 退避三舍 used?
Situation: The company voluntarily decreased their market share to avoid monopoly accusations
What is the pinyin for 退避三舍?
The pinyin pronunciation for 退避三舍 is “tuì bì sān shè”.
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