以少胜多 yǐ shǎo shèng duō To win with fewer troops

Explanation

用少量兵力战胜强大的敌人。体现了灵活的战略战术和士兵的高昂士气。

To defeat a strong enemy with a small number of troops. It reflects flexible strategy and tactics and the high morale of the soldiers.

Origin Story

春秋时期，吴国军队攻打越国，越王勾践卧薪尝胆，励精图治，终于积蓄了足够的力量，在一次战斗中，越军利用地形优势，以少胜多，大败吴军，吴王夫差被迫逃回。这个故事说明了，只要有正确的战略战术，即使兵力少，也能取得胜利。

chūnqiū shíqī, wú guó jūnduì gōngdá yuè guó, yuè wáng gōu jiàn wò xīn cháng dǎn, lì jīng tú zhì, zhōngyú jīxùle zúgòu de lìliàng, zài yīcì zhàndòu zhōng, yuè jūn lìyòng dìxíng yōushì, yǐ shǎo shèng duō, dà bài wū jūn, wū wáng fū chāi bèipò táohuí. zhège gùshì shuōmíngle, zhǐyào yǒu zhèngquè de zhànlüè zhànshù, jíshǐ bīnglì shǎo, yě néng qǔdé shènglì.

During the Spring and Autumn period, the Wu kingdom attacked the Yue kingdom. King Goujian of Yue, motivated by the saying "sleep on rice straw and taste gall", diligently governed and finally amassed sufficient strength to defeat the Wu army in a battle, using terrain advantages to achieve a victory against superior numbers. This story illustrates that even with fewer troops, victory can be achieved with the right strategy and tactics.

Usage

用于形容以弱胜强，以少胜多的战斗或竞争。

yòng yú xiáoróng yǐ ruò shèng qiáng, yǐ shǎo shèng duō de zhàndòu huò jìngzhēng.

Used to describe battles or competitions where the weak defeat the strong, or the few defeat the many.

Examples

• 以少胜多，这在军事史上并不少见。

  yǐ shǎo shèng duō, zhè zài jūnshì shǐshàng bìng bù shǎo jiàn.

  It is not uncommon for a smaller number of troops to defeat a larger number.

• 他们以少胜多，取得了战斗的胜利。

  tāmen yǐ shǎo shèng duō, qǔdéle zhàndòu de shènglì.

  They won the battle with fewer soldiers than the enemy.

Related Idioms

• 出奇制胜

• 转败为胜

Opposite Idioms

• 以多胜少

• 兵败如山倒