Master Chinese idioms about strategic thinking, decisive action, and tactical wisdom. These chengyu teach the art of effective planning and execution.
20 idioms in this category
xiǎo xīn yì yì
“Small heart wing wing”
Act with extreme caution and care
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qī shǒu bā jiǎo
“Seven hands eight feet”
Many people busily working together in disorder
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shā jī qǔ luǎn
“Kill chicken take eggs”
Sacrifice long-term benefits for short-term gains
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bèi shuǐ yī zhàn
“Back to water one battle”
Fight with total commitment having no retreat
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àn tú suǒ jì
“Follow map seek fine horse”
Rigidly following outdated methods
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àn jiàn shāng rén
“Hidden arrow wounds person”
Covert attacks avoiding direct confrontation
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zhí dǎo huáng lóng
“Directly attack Yellow Dragon”
Strike directly at the heart of enemy territory
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zhěn gē dài dàn
“Pillow spear await dawn”
Maintain high vigilance awaiting challenge
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zhēn fēng xiāng duì
“Needle points facing each other”
Sharp, direct confrontation in argument
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yuán mù qiú yú
“Climb tree seek fish”
Using completely wrong method for a task
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yǔ hǔ móu pí
“With tiger plot skin”
Asking someone to sacrifice their core interests
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jīn gē tiě mǎ
“Gold spears iron horses”
Magnificent military might and valor
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yù bàng xiāng zhēng
“Snipe clam mutual fight”
Mutual conflict benefits third party
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tuī bō zhù lán
“Push waves, aid ripples”
Amplifying existing trends or momentum
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fǔ dǐ chōu xīn
“Remove firewood under pot”
Eliminate root cause of problem
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àn dù chén cāng
“Secretly cross Chencang”
Achieve secretly through misdirection
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páng qiāo cè jī
“Knock side hit flank”
Approach indirectly to achieve goal
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tuì bì sān shè
“Retreat three camps”
Make concessions to avoid conflict
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bù bù wéi yíng
“Each step make camp”
Advance methodically with caution
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xiōng yǒu chéng zhú
“Bamboo ready in heart”
Have clear plan beforehand
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