欲擒故纵
欲擒故纵 (yù qín gù zòng) literally means “wishing to capture, first let go” and expresses “give slack before tightening; let go to catch”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving strategy and action.
Also searched as: yu qin gu zong, yu qin gu zong,欲擒故纵 meaning, 欲擒故纵 in english
Give slack before tightening; let go to catch
Pronunciation: yù qín gù zòng Literal meaning: Wishing to capture, first let go
Origin & Usage
This idiom describes wanting (欲) to capture (擒) but intentionally (故) letting go (纵). It is one of the Thirty-Six Stratagems where releasing a target creates false security before the final capture. Zhuge Liang famously used this strategy, capturing and releasing Meng Huo seven times until he surrendered genuinely. Modern usage describes patience in pursuit and the psychology of capture.
Examples
English: "The detective pretended to drop the case to make the suspect lower his guard."
Chinese: 侦探假装放弃案件，欲擒故纵，让嫌疑人放松警惕。
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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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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 欲擒故纵 mean in English?
欲擒故纵 (yù qín gù zòng) literally translates to “Wishing to capture, first let go” and is used to express “Give slack before tightening; let go to catch”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Strategy & Action category.
When is 欲擒故纵 used?
Situation: The detective pretended to drop the case to make the suspect lower his guard.
What is the pinyin for 欲擒故纵?
The pinyin pronunciation for 欲擒故纵 is “yù qín gù zòng”.