Art of War 11.62
The Art of War (孫子兵法), The Nine Situations 九地篇
此謂巧能成事者也
This is called ability to accomplish a thing by sheer cunning.
Lionel Giles (1910), Sun Tzŭ on the Art of War (1910), with Giles' notes — public domain.
Lionel Giles's notes
The T‘u Shu has 是謂巧於成事, and yet another reading, mentioned by Ts‘ao Kung, is 巧攻成事. Capt. Calthrop omits this sentence, after having thus translated the two preceding: “Discover the enemy’s intentions by conforming to his movements. When these are discovered, then, with one stroke, the general may be killed, even though he be one hundred leagues distant.”
Character glossary
- 此cǐthis, these; in this case, then
- 謂wèito call, to say, to tell; name, title; m
- 巧qiǎoskillful, ingenious, clever
- 能néngcan, may; capable, full of energy
- 成chéngto accomplish; to become; to complete, t
- 事shìaffair, matter, business; to serve; acci
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 也yěalso, too
Passages with shared wording
- Tao Te Ching Chapter 17
- Analects 3.21
- Analects 13.3
- Zhuangzi Man Among Men
- Zhuangzi The Universe
- Tao Te Ching Chapter 7
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.