以卵击石
以卵击石 (yǐ luǎn jī shí) literally means “strike stone with an egg” and expresses “doomed by mismatch”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving strategy and action.
Also searched as: yi luan ji shi, yi luan ji shi,以卵击石 meaning, 以卵击石 in english
Doomed by mismatch
Pronunciation: yǐ luǎn jī shí Literal meaning: Strike stone with an egg
Origin & Usage
Using (以) an egg (卵) to strike (击) a stone (石). The comparison appears across the Warring States philosophers and its point is that the outcome does not depend on force, effort or resolve — the mismatch is in the materials, and no amount of determination changes what an egg is. That distinguishes it from ordinary long odds. Confrontations that are settled before they begin — usually invoked to argue that the weaker party should choose different ground.
Examples
English: "A three-person startup suing a company with a permanent legal department"
Chinese: 三个人的公司去告一家养着整支法务团队的巨头
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about strategy & action
胸有成竹
xiōng yǒu chéng zhú
Have clear plan beforehand
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步步为营
bù bù wéi yíng
Advance methodically with caution
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退避三舍
tuì bì sān shè
Make concessions to avoid conflict
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旁敲侧击
páng qiāo cè jī
Approach indirectly to achieve goal
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暗度陈仓
àn dù chén cāng
Achieve secretly through misdirection
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釜底抽薪
fǔ dǐ chōu xīn
Eliminate root cause of problem
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推波助澜
tuī bō zhù lán
Amplifying existing trends or momentum
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鹬蚌相争
yù bàng xiāng zhēng
Mutual conflict benefits third party
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 以卵击石 mean in English?
以卵击石 (yǐ luǎn jī shí) literally translates to “Strike stone with an egg” and is used to express “Doomed by mismatch”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Strategy & Action category.
When is 以卵击石 used?
Situation: A three-person startup suing a company with a permanent legal department
What is the pinyin for 以卵击石?
The pinyin pronunciation for 以卵击石 is “yǐ luǎn jī shí”.