bing1 bat1 jim3 zaa3兵不厭詐兵不厌诈
Jyutpingbing1 bat1 jim3 zaa3
Yalebīng bāt yim ja
Definition
All's fair in war; to use deception to defeat the opponent, also applied to work, romance, and other competitions.
neutralworkother
How it's used
Originating from Sun Tzu's Art of War, this idiom is frequently used in modern Cantonese to describe strategic deception in non-military contexts. It carries a pragmatic, slightly cynical tone, suggesting that moral purity is less important than achieving a tactical advantage. It is often used to justify or explain clever, manipulative behavior in competitive environments.
Examples
The business world is like a battlefield; sometimes you have to use cunning tactics to win.
Do you really think he is that honest? He is just using cunning tactics.
Related words
Common phrases
cunning tactics
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a general term for lying, but it specifically implies a strategic, clever deception intended to outsmart an opponent rather than simple dishonesty.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
