拔帜树帜 — “To capture the enemy's flag and hoist one's own”

Q: What is the Chinese definition of 拔帜树帜?

用以比喻偷换取胜或战胜、胜利之典。

拔帜树帜 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to capture the enemy's flag and hoist one's own”. A metaphor for winning a victory through cunning or stratagem, or achieving a complete turnaround in a competition. Literally, “Pull down the banner, raise a new banner”.

Frequency

拔帜树帜 Pronunciation and Pinyin

拔帜树帜 Character Breakdown

Stroke Order

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
拔	bá	8	pull out or uproot
帜	zhì	8	unique style or school of thought
树	shù	9	tree or plant
帜	zhì	8	unique style or school of thought

Example Sentence with 拔帜树帜

在激烈的市场竞争中，他们凭借创新的策略，成功拔帜树帜，占据了行业领先地位。

In the intense market competition, they successfully "pulled down the banners and raised their own" with innovative strategies, securing a leading position in the industry.

Origin and Story of 拔帜树帜

In the early Western Han Dynasty, Han Xin led the Han army to attack the Zhao army. As they were about to reach Jingxing Pass, he first selected 2,000 light cavalrymen, each carrying a red banner. They took a shortcut and lay in ambush near the Zhao camp.

Then, he arrayed his main force with their backs to a river to lure the Zhao army. The Zhao army came out in full force.

The Han army feigned defeat and retreated. The previously ambushed soldiers then rushed into the Zhao army's camp, hoisted the Han army's red banners, and the Zhao army was thus utterly defeated.