Art of War 4.6
The Art of War (孫子兵法), Tactical Dispositions 形篇
守則不足攻則有餘
Standing on the defensive indicates insufficient strength; attacking, a superabundance of strength.
Lionel Giles (1910), Sun Tzŭ on the Art of War (1910), with Giles' notes — public domain.
Character glossary
- 守shǒuto defend, to guard, to protect; to cons
- 則zérule, law, regulation; grades
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 足zúfoot; to attain, to satisfy; enough
- 攻gōngto accuse; to assault; to criticize
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 餘yúsurplus, remainder, excess
Passages with shared wording
- Tao Te Ching Chapter 67
- Zhuangzi Contingencies
- Zhuangzi Joined Toes
- Zhuangzi The Secret of Life
- Zhuangzi Robber Chê
- Analects 8.4
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.