围魏救赵(圍魏救趙)
围魏救赵 (wéi wèi jiù zhào) literally means “besiege wei to rescue zhao”and expresses “relieve pressure by attacking the source”.This idiom is used when describing situations involving strategy & action.
Also searched as: wei wei jiu zhao, wei wei jiu zhao,围魏救赵 meaning, 围魏救赵 in english
Pronunciation: wéi wèi jiù zhào Literal meaning: Besiege Wei to rescue Zhao
Origin & Usage
This idiom refers to besieging (围) Wei (魏) to rescue (救) Zhao (赵). During the Warring States period, when Wei attacked Zhao, strategist Sun Bin advised attacking Wei's capital instead of sending relief forces directly. This forced Wei to withdraw. It became one of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, describing indirect approaches that relieve pressure by attacking the attacker's vulnerabilities.
When to Use
Situation: Instead of defending directly, they attacked the competitor's main market.
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Related Chinese Idioms
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Absolutely sure; foolproof
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mì bù tòu fēng
Airtight; impenetrable
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Inescapable net; dragnet
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Be imperative; must be done
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Give slack before tightening; let go to catch
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Strategic retreat for ultimate victory
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Create a diversion; use misdirection
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 围魏救赵 mean in English?
围魏救赵 (wéi wèi jiù zhào) literally translates to “Besiege Wei to rescue Zhao”and is used to express “Relieve pressure by attacking the source”. This Chinese idiom belongs to theStrategy & Action category..
When is 围魏救赵 used?
Situation: Instead of defending directly, they attacked the competitor's main market.
What is the pinyin for 围魏救赵?
The pinyin pronunciation for 围魏救赵 is “wéi wèi jiù zhào”.