七纵七擒 — “To repeatedly conquer and then release an adversary”

七纵七擒 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to repeatedly conquer and then release an adversary”. Demonstrating strategic wisdom and generosity to ultimately win their sincere loyalty and submission. Literally, “Seven captures, seven releases”.

Frequency

七纵七擒 Pronunciation and Pinyin

七纵七擒 Character Breakdown

Stroke Order

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
七	qī	2	the number seven
纵	zòng	7	to let go or indulge
七	qī	2	the number seven
擒	qín	15	catch or seize

Example Sentence with 七纵七擒

项目经理对团队中的新人采取了七纵七擒的策略，最终让他心悦诚服地投入到工作中。

The project manager adopted a 'seven captures, seven releases' strategy with the new team member, ultimately winning his enthusiastic commitment to the work.

Origin and Story of 七纵七擒

During the Three Kingdoms period, Zhuge Liang, the Prime Minister of the Shu Han kingdom, led an expedition to the south to consolidate the rear.

Just as his campaign was successfully concluding and he was withdrawing his troops, Meng Huo, the leader of the southern Yi tribes, gathered his remaining forces to attack the Shu army.

Upon their first encounter, Meng Huo was captured alive. Zhuge Liang, considering the larger picture, released him to go home.

Meng Huo was captured and released seven times in total, and eventually, he sincerely submitted to the Shu Han kingdom.