12 Chinese Idioms From Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Unshakeable despite adversity

Literal meaning: Bend hundred times never yield

Dating to the Warring States period, this idiom describes bamboo that bends a hundred (百) times (折) but never (不) yields (挠). The imagery comes from ancient observations of bamboo groves surviving severe storms by bending rather than breaking. The metaphor gained particular significance during the T...

Commit with no retreat

Literal meaning: Break pots sink boats

Originating from a famous historical event in 207 BCE, this idiom recounts how general Xiang Yu ordered his troops to break (破) their cooking pots (釜) and sink (沉) their boats (舟) before battling the Qin army. By eliminating the possibility of retreat, he created absolute commitment to victory. Duri...

Borrow authority to intimidate

Literal meaning: Fox uses tiger's power

This idiom emerged from a Warring States period fable where a fox (狐) borrowed (假) the authority (威) of a tiger (虎) to intimidate other animals. The story first appeared in the Zhan Guo Ce, using the clever fox and powerful tiger to criticize political parasites who derived their influence from powe...

Plan strategy carefully

Literal meaning: Plan behind curtain

Rooted in military strategy, this idiom describes making crucial decisions behind the curtains (帷幄) of a military command tent while planning (运筹) campaigns. It gained prominence through records of Liu Bang, founder of the Han Dynasty, who was praised for his strategic planning abilities within his ...

Plan far ahead

Literal meaning: Deep plan far thought

Combining deep (深) planning (谋) with far-reaching (远) consideration (虑), this idiom emerged from Western Han political philosophy. It appeared in historical accounts praising strategists who could anticipate complex consequences of their actions. The phrase gained prominence during the Three Kingdom...

Repeated lie becomes truth

Literal meaning: Three people make tiger real

This idiom originates from the Wei state minister Pang Cong's warning to his king about how three (三) people's (人) repeated lies can make even an absurd claim - like a tiger (虎) loose in the marketplace - seem true (成). The story, recorded in Warring States texts, demonstrates how repeated rumors ca...

Advance methodically with caution

Literal meaning: Each step make camp

This strategic approach emerged from Han Dynasty military manuals, describing armies that established (为) a secure camp (营) with each step (步步) of their advance. The tactic gained fame during the Three Kingdoms period when general Cao Cao used it to campaign through difficult terrain. Unlike rapid d...

Achieve secretly through misdirection

Literal meaning: Secretly cross Chencang

This strategic idiom refers to secretly (暗) crossing/passing (度) through Chencang (陈仓), originating from Han Xin's famous military maneuver during the Chu-Han contention (206-202 BCE). Historical records describe how Han Xin pretended to repair roads in one location while secretly moving troops thro...

Eliminate root cause of problem

Literal meaning: Remove firewood under pot

This practical idiom describes removing (抽) firewood (薪) from under (底) a cooking pot (釜), originating from Wei-Jin period practical wisdom. Unlike dramatic interventions, it emphasized solving problems by eliminating their underlying causes. The cooking metaphor resonated deeply in Chinese culture,...

Mutual conflict benefits third party

Literal meaning: Snipe clam mutual fight

This cautionary tale depicts a snipe (鹬) and clam (蚌) in mutual (相) combat (争), originating from the 'Strategies of the Warring States' around 300 BCE. During the Han Dynasty, political advisors frequently cited it to warn rulers about the dangers of becoming obsessed with immediate opponents while ...

Sharp, direct confrontation in argument

Literal meaning: Needle points facing each other

Military tacticians of the Southern and Northern Dynasties first used this image of needle points (针锋) directly facing each other (相对) to describe precise tactical confrontation. Tang Dynasty literary critics adopted it for scholarly debates, appreciating how it captured the essence of pointed intel...

Beyond comprehension or explanation

Literal meaning: Cannot be thought discussed

Early Buddhist sutras translated during the Eastern Han Dynasty brought us this description of matters that cannot (不可) be comprehended through thought or discussion (思议). Originally describing transcendent Buddha-realms beyond ordinary understanding, Tang Dynasty writers adopted it for any phenomen...