避实击虚 Avoid the strong and attack the weak
Explanation
避实击虚是一个汉语成语,意思是避开敌人的主力,攻击敌人的薄弱环节。也比喻在辩论或写作中,避开主要问题,攻击次要问题,或回避要害。
"Avoid the strong and attack the weak" is a Chinese idiom that means to avoid the enemy's main force and attack the enemy's weak points. It is also used to refer to avoiding the main issue in debate or writing and attacking minor issues, or avoiding the key points.
Origin Story
公元前623年,晋楚城濮之战,晋文公采用避实击虚的策略,取得了决定性胜利。楚军主力在中军,实力强大,晋文公并没有与其正面交锋,而是先派兵攻击楚军右翼,这一翼是陈蔡联军,实力较弱。晋军迅速击溃楚军右翼,随后又击败楚军左翼,最后,楚军主力被前后夹击,大败而逃。此战,晋文公以少胜多,充分展现了避实击虚的战术精髓。晋军避开了楚军强大的中军,集中兵力攻击其薄弱环节,最终取得了全胜,奠定了晋国霸主地位。这场战争不仅以军事上的胜利告终,也为后世留下了宝贵的军事思想遗产,成为后世兵家学习和借鉴的经典战例。
In 623 BC, during the Battle of Chengpu between Jin and Chu, Duke Wen of Jin employed the strategy of "avoiding the strong and attacking the weak," achieving a decisive victory. The main force of the Chu army was in the center, strong and powerful, but Duke Wen of Jin did not confront it head-on. Instead, he first dispatched troops to attack the Chu army's right flank, which was composed of the weaker combined forces of Chen and Cai. The Jin army quickly routed the Chu army's right flank and subsequently defeated its left flank. Finally, the Chu main force, caught in a pincer movement, was defeated and fled. This battle demonstrated the essence of "avoiding the strong and attacking the weak." The Jin army avoided the Chu army's powerful center, concentrated its forces on its weak points, and achieved a complete victory, establishing Jin's hegemony. The Battle of Chengpu not only ended in military victory but also left a valuable legacy of military thought for posterity, serving as a classic example for military strategists.
Usage
这个成语主要用于军事战略,也常用于比喻其他方面的策略,例如:辩论、谈判、竞争等。
This idiom is mainly used in military strategy, but is also often used metaphorically for strategies in other areas, such as debates, negotiations, and competitions.
Examples
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面对强大的对手,我们应该避实击虚,选择薄弱环节进攻。
miàn duì qiáng dà de duì shǒu, wǒ men yīng gāi bì shí jī xū, xuǎn zé báo ruò huán jié jìng gōng
When facing a strong opponent, we should avoid the strong and attack the weak.
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讨论问题要抓住重点,不能避实击虚,含糊其辞。
táo lùn wèn tí yào zhuā zhù zhòng diǎn, bù néng bì shí jī xū, hán hu hu qí cí
When discussing a problem, we should focus on the key points and not avoid the important points and speak vaguely.