偃旗息鼓 lower flags and cease drumming
Explanation
偃旗息鼓是一个汉语成语，意思是放倒旗子，停止敲鼓。原指行军时隐蔽行踪，不让敌人觉察。现在通常用来比喻事情终止或声势减弱。
Yǎn qí xī gǔ is a Chinese idiom, originally meaning to lower flags and cease drumming, signifying covert movement during war. Now, it commonly implies the cessation or weakening of something.
Origin Story
话说三国时期，蜀汉名将赵云在一次战斗中，面对曹军强大的兵力，并没有选择硬碰硬，而是采取了极其巧妙的策略。赵云率领少量士兵，故意敞开营门，偃旗息鼓，营造出一副毫无防备的假象。曹军见此情景，心中疑惑，担心蜀军设下埋伏，不敢贸然进攻。他们犹豫不决，最终选择了撤退。赵云抓住时机，率军出击，打得曹军大败而逃。这便是成语“偃旗息鼓”的精彩故事由来。
During the Three Kingdoms period, the renowned Shu Han general Zhao Yun, facing a numerically superior Cao army, employed an ingenious tactic. Instead of a direct confrontation, Zhao Yun led a small force, deliberately leaving the camp gates open and lowering flags and silencing drums, creating an illusion of unpreparedness. The Cao army, suspicious and fearing an ambush, hesitated and retreated. Seizing the opportunity, Zhao Yun launched a swift counterattack, routing the Cao army. Thus originated the idiom "Yǎn qí xī gǔ".
Usage
偃旗息鼓通常作谓语、定语或宾语，用来形容战争、斗争或其他活动的停止或减弱。
Yǎn qí xī gǔ typically functions as a predicate, attributive, or object, describing the cessation or weakening of war, struggle, or other activities.
Examples
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战争结束后，他们偃旗息鼓，各自回家了。
zhanzheng jieshu hou, tamen yanqi xigu, gezi huijiale.
After the war, they laid down their arms and returned home.
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经过激烈的谈判，双方终于偃旗息鼓，达成了协议。
jingguo jilie de tantan, shuangfang zhongyu yanqi xigu, dachengle xieyi
After intense negotiations, both sides finally reached an agreement and ended the conflict.