wait at ease for the exhausted enemy; conserve strength
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
to wait at ease for the exhausted enemy; to conserve one's strength while waiting for the opponent to tire
formalDerived from classical military strategy (Sun Tzu's Art of War), now widely used metaphorically in business, sports, and competitions to describe conserving energy while waiting for the opponent to become exhausted.
Wǒ我
men们
yào要
cǎi采
qǔ取
yǐ以
yì逸
dài待
láo劳
de的
cè策
lüè略
，
děng等
dí敌
rén人
pí疲
bèi惫
hòu后
zài再
jìn进
gōng攻
。
We should adopt the strategy of waiting at ease for the exhausted enemy, and attack after they become tired.
Jué决
sài赛
qián前
，
jiào教
liàn练
ràng让
zhǔ主
lì力
duì队
yuán员
xiū休
xi息
，
zhǔn准
bèi备
yǐ以
yì逸
dài待
láo劳
。
Before the finals, the coach let the key players rest, preparing to conserve their strength while waiting for the opponent to tire.
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Zài在
shāng商
zhàn战
zhōng中
，
yǒu有
shí时
hou候
yǐ以
yì逸
dài待
láo劳
bǐ比
zhǔ主
dòng动
chū出
jī击
gèng更
yǒu有
xiào效
。
In business competition, sometimes waiting at ease for the exhausted enemy is more effective than taking the initiative to attack.