围魏救赵 — “Besiege Wei to save Zhao”
围魏救赵 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to relieve a siege or an attack on an ally by attacking the aggressor's homeland or a vital strategic point, forcing them to withdraw their attacking forces to defend their own territory. This is a tactic of 'attacking the enemy's weak point to save the strong point' or an indirect strategic maneuver”. Literally, “Besiege Wei to save Zhao”.
围魏救赵 Pronunciation and Pinyin
围魏救赵 Character Breakdown
Stroke OrderExample Sentence with 围魏救赵
Origin and Story of 围魏救赵
During the Warring States period, General Pang Juan of Wei led his army to besiege Handan, the capital of Zhao. Zhao appealed to the State of Qi for assistance. King Qi dispatched Tian Ji and Sun Bin to lead the rescue operation.
Sun Bin observed that Wei's elite forces were heavily committed in Zhao, leaving their homeland vulnerable. He proposed an indirect strategy: instead of directly confronting the Wei army in Zhao, they should attack Daliang, the capital of Wei.
This maneuver would compel the Wei army to abandon their siege of Handan and rush back to defend their own territory. As the Wei troops retreated, exhausted from their long march, Qi's army ambushed them at the strategic pass of Guiling, inflicting a devastating defeat on Wei.
This famous stratagem, 'Besiege Wei to Save Zhao', exemplifies the tactical principle of avoiding a direct frontal assault on a strong enemy and instead striking at their vulnerable points to achieve a desired outcome. It is a celebrated example of 'avoiding the strong and attacking the weak', and is recognized as one of the Thirty-Six Stratagems.
Idioms Related to 围魏救赵
Synonyms of 围魏救赵
Antonyms of 围魏救赵
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Open the tool →Questions about 围魏救赵
What does 围魏救赵 mean?
围魏救赵 (wéi wèi jiù zhào) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to relieve a siege or an attack on an ally by attacking the aggressor's homeland or a vital strategic point, forcing them to withdraw their attacking forces to defend their own territory. This is a tactic of 'attacking the enemy's weak point to save the strong point' or an indirect strategic maneuver”.
How do you pronounce 围魏救赵?
围魏救赵 is pronounced wéi wèi jiù zhào in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 围魏救赵 literally mean?
Literally, 围魏救赵 means “Besiege Wei to save Zhao”. It is used to mean “to relieve a siege or an attack on an ally by attacking the aggressor's homeland or a vital strategic point, forcing them to withdraw their attacking forces to defend their own territory. This is a tactic of 'attacking the enemy's weak point to save the strong point' or an indirect strategic maneuver”.
Where does 围魏救赵 come from?
围魏救赵 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 围魏救赵?
原指战国时齐军用围攻魏国的方法，迫使魏国撤回攻赵部队而使赵国得救。后指袭击敌人后方的据点以迫使进攻之敌撤退的战术。