Art of War 1.22
The Art of War (孫子兵法), Laying Plans 計篇
怒而撓之卑而驕之
If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant.
Lionel Giles (1910), Sun Tzŭ on the Art of War (1910), with Giles' notes — public domain.
Lionel Giles's notes
I follow Chang Yü in my interpretation of 怒. 卑 is expanded by Mei Yao-ch‘ên into 示以卑弱. Wang Tzŭ, quoted by Tu Yu, says that the good tactician plays with his adversary as a cat plays with a mouse, first feigning weakness and immobility, and then suddenly pouncing upon him.
Character glossary
- 怒nùanger, passion, rage
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 撓náoto yield; to scratch, to disturb
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 卑bēihumble, low, inferior; to despise
- 驕jiāohaughty, spirited; a wild stallion
Passages with shared wording
- Zhuangzi On Declining Power
- Tao Te Ching Chapter 9
- Art of War 9.23
- Art of War 9.24
- Mencius 5B.5
- Zhuangzi On Letting Alone
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.