各自为战 gè zì wéi zhàn Fight independently

Explanation

指各自独立作战，没有相互配合。也指各自为政，缺乏协调合作。

It means to fight independently without mutual cooperation. It also refers to independent governance and lack of coordination and cooperation.

Origin Story

战国时期，秦国强大，诸侯国纷纷联合对抗，但由于战略不统一，各自为战，最终一个个被秦国吞并。公元前221年，秦始皇统一六国，结束了战国时期的纷争。这便是历史上著名的“秦灭六国”。其中，楚国曾经是强大的诸侯国，但在与秦国的战争中，由于内部矛盾重重，各诸侯国各自为战，最终导致国力衰弱，被秦国所灭。楚国灭亡后，一些楚国贵族和官员逃亡到其他地方，继续组织反抗力量，但由于缺乏统一的领导和有效的战略，各自为战，最终都未能成功。在与秦国的战争中，燕国、赵国、魏国等诸侯国也各自为战，最终都被秦国击败。这说明，在面对强大的敌人时，如果没有统一的领导和有效的合作，各自为战只能走向失败。

zhàn guó shí qī, qín guó qiáng dà, zhū hóu guó fēn fēn lián hé duì kàng, dàn yóu yú zhàn lǜ bù tǒng yī, gè zì wéi zhàn, zuì zhōng yī gè yī gè bèi qín guó tūn bìng. gōng yuán qián 221 nián, qín shǐ huáng tǒng yī liù guó, jié shù le zhàn guó shí qī de fēn zhēng. zhè biàn shì lì shǐ shàng zhù míng de “qín miè liù guó”. qí zhōng, chǔ guó céng jīng shì qiáng dà de zhū hóu guó, dàn zài yǔ qín guó de zhàn zhēng zhōng, yóu yú nèi bù máodùn chóng chóng, gè zhū hóu guó gè zì wéi zhàn, zuì zhōng dǎo zhì guó lì shuāi ruò, bèi qín guó suǒ miè. chǔ guó miè wáng hòu, yī xiē chǔ guó guì zú hé guān yuán táo wáng dào qí tā dì fāng, jìxù zǔ zhì fǎnkàng lì liàng, dàn yóu yú quēfá tǒng yī de lǐng dǎo hé yǒu xiào de zhàn lǜ, gè zì wéi zhàn, zuì zhōng dōu wèi néng chéng gōng. zài yǔ qín guó de zhàn zhēng zhōng, yān guó, zhào guó, wèi guó děng zhū hóu guó yě gè zì wéi zhàn, zuì zhōng dōu bèi qín guó bèi bài. zhè shuō míng, zài miàn duì qiáng dà de dí rén shí, rú guǒ méi yǒu tǒng yī de lǐng dǎo hé yǒu xiào de hé zuò, gè zì wéi zhàn zhǐ néng zǒu xiàng shībài

During the Warring States period, the Qin state was powerful, and the vassal states joined forces to fight against it. However, due to the lack of a unified strategy, they fought independently, and were eventually conquered one by one by the Qin state. In 221 BC, Qin Shi Huang unified the six states, ending the conflict of the Warring States period. This is the famous "Qin conquering the six states" in history. Among them, the Chu state was once a powerful vassal state, but in the war against the Qin state, due to internal contradictions, each vassal state fought independently, which eventually led to the weakening of national strength and its destruction by the Qin state. After the destruction of the Chu state, some Chu aristocrats and officials fled to other places and continued to organize resistance forces, but due to the lack of unified leadership and effective strategies, they fought independently, and ultimately failed. In the war against Qin, vassal states such as Yan, Zhao, and Wei also fought independently, and were eventually defeated by Qin. This shows that without unified leadership and effective cooperation, fighting independently can only lead to failure when facing powerful enemies.

Usage

用于形容各个单位或个人独立作战，缺乏协调配合。

yòng yú xíngróng gège dānwèi huò gèrén dú lì zuòzhàn, quēfá xiétiáo pèihé

Used to describe various units or individuals fighting independently, lacking coordination and cooperation.

Examples

• 面对强敌，他们各自为战，最终无力回天。

  miàn duì qiáng dí, tāmen gè zì wéi zhàn, zuì zhōng wú lì huí tiān

  Faced with a strong enemy, they fought independently and were ultimately powerless.

• 公司内部各个部门各自为战，缺乏协作，导致效率低下。

  gōngsī nèibù gège bù mén gè zì wéi zhàn, quēfá xiézuò, dǎozhì xiàolǜ dīxià

  The different departments of the company worked independently without cooperation, leading to low efficiency.

• 在市场竞争中，企业如果不团结协作，各自为战，最终会被市场淘汰。

  zài shìchǎng jìngzhēng zhōng, qǐyè rúguǒ bù tuánjié xiézuò, gè zì wéi zhàn, zuì zhōng huì bèi shìchǎng táotài

  In the market competition, if companies do not cooperate, they will eventually be eliminated by the market if they fight independently

Related Idioms

• 各自为政

• 分崩离析

Opposite Idioms

• 团结一致

• 齐心协力