运筹帷幄
运筹帷幄 (yùn chóu wéi wò) literally means “work the counting rods in the command tent” and expresses “plan strategy carefully”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving success and perseverance.
Also searched as: yun chou wei wo, yun chou wei wo,运筹帷幄 meaning, 运筹帷幄 in english
Plan strategy carefully
Pronunciation: yùn chóu wéi wò Literal meaning: Work the counting rods in the command tent
Origin & Usage
Liu Bang, asked why he had won the empire when Xiang Yu was the better soldier, named three men he could not equal. Of Zhang Liang he said: 运筹帷幄之中，决胜千里之外 — turning the counting rods inside the tent curtains (帷幄), he decides victory a thousand li away. The Records of the Grand Historian keeps the speech, and the two clauses are normally quoted together, since the second is what the first is for. 运筹 is literally working the counting rods, so the image is calculation rather than inspiration.
Examples
English: "The CEO quietly developed the company's expansion strategy"
Chinese: 首席执行官在幕后静静地制定公司的扩张战略
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about success & perseverance
见微知著
jiàn wēi zhī zhù
Foresee big from small signs
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暗度陈仓
àn dù chén cāng
Achieve secretly through misdirection
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匠心独运
jiàng xīn dú yùn
Apply creative genius; show ingenuity
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胸有丘壑
xiōng yǒu qiū hè
Have great vision
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披荆斩棘
pī jīng zhǎn jí
Overcome all obstacles
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悬梁刺股
xuán liáng cì gǔ
Study extremely hard
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凿壁偷光
záo bì tōu guāng
Study despite poverty
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厚积薄发
hòu jī bó fā
Success after long preparation
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 运筹帷幄 mean in English?
运筹帷幄 (yùn chóu wéi wò) literally translates to “Work the counting rods in the command tent” and is used to express “Plan strategy carefully”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Success & Perseverance category.
When is 运筹帷幄 used?
Situation: The CEO quietly developed the company's expansion strategy
What is the pinyin for 运筹帷幄?
The pinyin pronunciation for 运筹帷幄 is “yùn chóu wéi wò”.
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