缓兵之计 delaying tactic
Explanation
指为了争取时间或其他目的而故意拖延对方进攻的策略。
Refers to a strategy of deliberately delaying an opponent's attack to gain time or for other purposes.
Origin Story
三国时期，蜀汉丞相诸葛亮率军北伐，与魏军在祁山对峙。魏军大将司马懿久攻不下，诸葛亮便使用了缓兵之计。他故意示弱，撤军回营，并留下一些老弱士兵，故意让魏军以为蜀军实力大减，从而放松警惕。司马懿果然中计，率军追击，诸葛亮则在预设的埋伏地点，大败魏军。这个故事说明，缓兵之计虽然看起来被动，但却可以出奇制胜。
During the Three Kingdoms period, Zhuge Liang, the chancellor of Shu Han, led his troops on a northern expedition and faced the Wei army in Qishan. The Wei army general Sima Yi had attacked for a long time without success, so Zhuge Liang used the delaying tactic. He deliberately showed weakness, withdrew his troops back to camp, and left behind some old and weak soldiers, deliberately leading the Wei army to believe that the Shu army's strength had greatly decreased, thus relaxing their vigilance. Sima Yi indeed fell for it, leading his army to pursue, while Zhuge Liang decisively defeated the Wei army at the pre-set ambush point. This story illustrates that the delaying tactic, although seemingly passive, can achieve surprising victories.
Usage
主要用于军事或政治斗争中，形容一种拖延时间的策略。
Mainly used in military or political struggles to describe a strategy to delay time.
Examples
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为了避免正面冲突，他们决定采用缓兵之计。
weile bimian zhengmian chongtu, tamen jueding caiyong huanbing zhi ji.
To avoid a direct conflict, they decided to use a delaying tactic.
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他使用缓兵之计，争取更多的时间来准备。
ta shiyong huanbing zhi ji, zhengqu geng duo de shijian lai zhunbei
He used a delaying tactic to buy more time to prepare.