CHENGYU
兵不厌诈(bīng bù yàn zhà)meaning, story and origin
- Register:
- formal
- Source:
- 《韩非子·难一》
MEANING
- Literal
- in war, deception is never too much
- Figurative meaning
- all stratagems are fair in a contest
ORIGIN STORY
From the Han Feizi: "A gentleman never tires of loyalty and trust — but on the battlefield, one never tires of deception." The phrase became a maxim of military thinking.
NATURAL EQUIVALENT
“all's fair in love and war”
EXAMPLES
比赛就是兵不厌诈，战术变化很正常。Bǐsài jiù shì bīng bù yàn zhà, zhànshù biànhuà hěn zhèngcháng.HSK6
In competition, deception is never too much — tactical variety is normal.
商场如战场，兵不厌诈，要多留个心眼。Shāngchǎng rú zhànchǎng, bīng bù yàn zhà, yào duō liú ge xīnyǎn.HSK6
Business is war; stay alert, for deception is never too much.
COMMON MISTAKE
Watch out: It is about contests and strategy, not an excuse for lying in daily life.
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TRUST & SOURCES
- Reviewed by
- AI-assisted editorial review
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-15
- CC-CEDICT 2026-01-01