以守为攻 yǐ shǒu wéi gōng Defense as attack

Explanation

这个成语的意思是用防御的策略来达到进攻的目的，通常指在战争或竞争中，通过坚守阵地、保存实力，来消耗敌人的力量，最终达到击败敌人的目的。

This idiom means to use defensive strategies to achieve offensive goals. It usually refers to war or competition, through maintaining positions and conserving strength, to deplete the enemy's power and eventually defeat them.

Origin Story

话说三国时期，蜀汉丞相诸葛亮率领大军北伐，与曹魏大军在渭水之畔对峙。魏军兵强马壮，蜀军势单力薄，诸葛亮深知硬拼并非上策。于是他下令全军坚守不出，修筑坚固的营寨，同时派出精兵潜伏于魏军营地附近，伺机而动。魏军主帅司马懿，见蜀军被动防守，便认为蜀军已无力再战，便下令魏军坚守不攻，也进行防御部署，等待蜀军露出破绽。双方僵持数月，魏军粮草日渐短缺，士气低落，而蜀军则有条不紊，后勤供应充足。诸葛亮抓住时机，指挥蜀军发动突然袭击，大破魏军，取得了北伐的阶段性胜利。此役，诸葛亮充分展现了以守为攻的军事智慧。

huì shuō sānguó shíqī, shǔ hàn chéngxiàng zhūgě liàng shuài lǐng dàjūn běi fá, yǔ cáo wèi dàjūn zài wèishuǐ zhī pàn duìzhì. wèi jūn bīng qiáng mǎ zhuàng, shǔ jūn shì dānlì bó, zhūgě liàng shēn zhī yìng pīn bìng fēi shàng cè. yú shì tā xià lìng quán jūn jiānshǒu bù chū, xiū zhù jiāngu gù de yíng zhài, tóngshí pāi chū jīng bīng qiányfú yú wèi jūn yíng dì fùjìn, sì jī ér dòng. wèi jūn zhǔ shuài sī mǎ yì, jiàn shǔ jūn bèidòng fángshǒu, biàn rènwéi shǔ jūn yǐ wúlì zài zhàn, biàn xià lìng wèi jūn jiānshǒu bù gōng, yě jìnxíng fángyù bǔshù, děngdài shǔ jūn lù chū pò zhàn. shuāng fāng jiāng chí shù yuè, wèi jūn liáng cǎo rì jiàn duǎnquē, shì qì dī luò, ér shǔ jūn zé yǒu tiáo wèi wěn, hòuqín gōngyīng chōngzú. zhūgě liàng zhuā zhù shíjī, zhǐhuī shǔ jūn fā dòng tūrán xíjī, dà pò wèi jūn, qǔdé le běi fá de jiēduàn xìng shènglì. cǐ yì, zhūgě liàng chōngfèn zhǎnxian le yǐ shǒu wéi gōng de jūnshì zhìhuì

During the Three Kingdoms period, Zhuge Liang, the chancellor of Shu Han, led a large army on a northern expedition and faced off against the Cao Wei army on the banks of the Wei River. The Wei army was strong, while the Shu army was weak. Zhuge Liang knew that a direct confrontation was not a good strategy. So he ordered the entire army to stay put, building strong fortifications and deploying troops to ambush the Wei army, waiting for an opportune moment to strike. Sima Yi, the commander of the Wei army, believed that the Shu army was exhausted seeing their defensive posture, so he also adopted a defensive approach, waiting for the Shu army to reveal any weaknesses. After months of stalemate, the Wei army began to run out of supplies and morale faltered, while the Shu army remained organized and had an ample supply of provisions. Zhuge Liang seized the opportunity to launch a surprise attack on the Wei army, defeating them and winning a tactical victory in the northern campaign. This battle showcased Zhuge Liang's brilliant military strategy of using defense as a means of attack.

Usage

常用于军事、商业、政治等领域，形容以防守姿态消耗对方实力，最终取得胜利的策略。

cháng yòng yú jūnshì, shāngyè, zhèngzhì děng lǐngyù, xíngróng yǐ fángshǒu zītāi xiāohào duìfāng shí lì, zuìzhōng qǔdé shènglì de cèlüè

Often used in the fields of military, business, and politics, it describes a strategy of using a defensive stance to deplete the opponent's strength and ultimately achieve victory.

Examples

• 面对强敌，我军决定以守为攻，保存实力，等待时机反击。

  miàn duì qiáng dí, wǒ jūn juédìng yǐ shǒu wéi gōng, bǎocún shí lì, děngdài shíjī fǎnjí

  Faced with a strong enemy, our army decided to use defense as an attack, preserve its strength, and wait for the opportunity to counterattack.

• 这家公司以守为攻，稳扎稳打，最终在市场竞争中取得了胜利。

  zhè jiā gōngsī yǐ shǒu wéi gōng, wěn zhā wěndǎ, zuìzhōng zài shìchǎng jìngzhēng zhōng qǔdé le shènglì

  This company used defense as an attack, steadily, and eventually won in the market competition.

Related Idioms

• 坚守

• 防守

• 抵抗

Opposite Idioms

• 冒进

• 蛮干