围而不攻

Pronunciation: wéi ér bù gōng Literal meaning: Surround but do not attack

Origin & Usage

To surround (围) and yet (而) not (不) attack (攻). The tactic is old and the logic is set out in Sun Zi, which rates taking a state whole above breaking it and warns the commander to leave a besieged army an apparent way out rather than corner it into fighting to the death — encirclement works by pressure, supply and time, and an assault throws that advantage away. The four-character phrase itself is a plain military description rather than a classical set idiom, and modern Chinese uses it mostly by analogy: keeping a rival boxed in, or holding a position of strength without forcing a confrontation you would win more cheaply by waiting.

Examples

English: "In negotiations, it's often wise to surround your opponent with options without direct confrontation."

Chinese: 在谈判中，围而不攻往往是明智的选择。