假道伐虢

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Chinese

to go by way of; to go via
(v) cut down; fell; (v) dispatch an expedition against
(v) cut down; fell; (v) dispatch an expedition against; descend upon
 
name of an ancient state
trad. (假道伐虢) 假道
simp. #(假道伐虢) 假道
Literally: “to obtain safe passage to conquer the State of Guo”.

Etymology

From a historical event recorded in Zuo Zhuan.

左傳·僖公二年:

荀息垂棘假道伐虢
荀息垂棘假道伐虢
From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Jìn Xún Xī qǐng yǐ Qū chǎn zhī shèng, yǔ Chuí Jí zhī bì, jiǎdào yú Yú yǐ fá Guó.
Xun Xi of Jin requested leave from the marquis to take his team of Qu horses and his Bi of Chui Ji jade, and with them borrow a way from Yu to march through it and attack Guo

左傳·僖公五年:

十二月丙子京師
十二月丙子京师
From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Dōng, shí'èryuè, bǐngzǐ shuò, Jìn miè Guó, Guó gōng Chǒu bēn jīngshī. Shī huán, guǎn yú Yú, suì xí Yú, miè zhī.
In winter, in the 12th month, on bing-zi, the 1st day of the moon, Jin extinguished Guo, and Chou, the duke, fled to the capital. The army, on its return, took up its quarters in Yu, surprised the city, and extinguished the state.

Pronunciation


Idiom

假道伐虢

  1. (figurative) to make peace with a smaller enemy and use it as a springboard to attack another common enemy, before turning on the first