知己知彼
- Literal
- to know yourself and know the other side
- Figurative
- To know your own strengths and the other side's before making a move; that is what lets you decide on solid ground.
Where does 知己知彼 come from?
It is one of the most quoted lines in 《孙子兵法》. The chapter "谋攻" reads: “知彼知己，百战不殆” — know the enemy and know yourself, and in a hundred battles you will never be in danger — followed by the step people tend to forget: if you know yourself but not the enemy, you will win one and lose one; if you know neither, you will be in danger in every battle. The classical order is 知彼知己; the common form today swaps the halves. From warfare it moved into business, sports, and exams.
Source (出处): 《孙子·谋攻》
How is 知己知彼 used? Two examples
- 面试以前先了解一下这家公司，知己知彼才有把握。
Look into the company before the interview — knowing yourself and knowing them is what gives you confidence.
- 研究一下对手的打法，知己知彼，比赛才有胜算。
Study how your opponent plays — you only have a real shot when you know your own game and theirs.
In Wanyu, all 400 chengyu have audio on every sentence, and you can save them to your decks and review them with spaced repetition. Free.
