Chinese Idioms: 以退為進

以退為進

This idiom originates from the 漢 Dynasty (202 BCE–22 CE), written by 楊雄《法言．君子》：

昔乎顏淵以退為進，天下鮮儷焉。

楊雄 used this phrase to praise the virtue and self-cultivation of 顏回, a disciple of 孔子.

The classical Chinese meaning of the sentence is: “In the past, 顏回 used retreat as a means of advancement. In the world, few could compare to him.”

In this context, 楊雄 praises 顏回 for focusing on moral cultivation and spiritual attainment. It signifies that 顏回 achieved complete elevation of his inner virtue and learning by voluntarily abandoning external desires and restraining personal ambitions. This "retreat" was a conscious, proactive choice, not a forced failure.

Later generations broadened the idiom's meaning into a strategic concept, which is its most common contemporary usage.

• As a competitive strategy: Making a superficial concession, showing forbearance, or waiting is designed to conserve strength and adjust one's strategy, thereby securing greater success at a more favorable time.
  
• As a social strategy: To achieve a long-term goal, one should not worry about short-term gains or losses. This strategy involves enduring temporary humiliation or making concessions to avoid conflict and ultimately secure greater, long-lasting benefits.

Similar Idiom: 以守為攻

The idiom "以守為攻" originates from the 北宋 (960–1127 CE), written by 秦觀《邊防策下》：

蓋充國以先零窮寇，急與之角，則中國必有饋挽轉輸之勞，故罷騎留屯而圖以期月，此則以守為攻者也。

This passage primarily suggests that when defending frontier cities, defense should be utilized as the means to defeat the enemy.  The strategy involves maintaining a firm defense to wear down the enemy's forces, supplies, and morale. A counterattack should only be launched once the enemy troops are weakened and dispirited.

A further evolution of this military strategy is found in the 南宋  (1127-1279 CE), written by 陳亮《酌古論一．先主》

且吾又聞之，用兵之道，有攻法，有守法，此用兵之常也；以攻為守，以守為攻，此兵之變也。

This strategy advocates proactive offensive action as a form of defense. By launching an attack, one can push the conflict and the threat into the enemy's territory, thereby safeguarding one's own borders.  It means attacking another nation’s territory to keep the war far from one's own homeland, thus protecting one's own land.

How To Use (in a funny way)

• 以退為進
• 看著家事清單，我決定以退為進，把比較簡單的家務先做完，這樣比較麻煩的就會由別人去做。
  Looking at the list of chores, I decided to use the strategy of 以退為進. Finished the easier tasks first, so that the more troublesome ones would be left for someone else to do.
  

• 以守為攻
• 當媽媽問我考試成績時，以守為攻是最好的策略。所以我決定裝死並表現出極度飢餓的樣子，讓她先去找吃的再說。
  When my mom asked me about my test scores, 以守為攻 is the best strategy. I played possum and acted extremely hungry, making her focus on finding me food first.
• 裝死
  
  In colloquial usage, the literal meaning of the term is "to feign death."
  The phrase is used to describe the intentional avoidance of a problem or question. This is accomplished by pretending not to hear or know, or by acting as if nothing has happened. It's often done specifically to evade responsibility or trouble.
  This usage is conceptually similar to English expressions such as:
• "Play dumb"
• "Play innocent"
• "Play possum"

• 以攻為守
• 為了防止老闆在年終檢討時挑我毛病，我決定以攻為守，先交出十份「未來年度工作展望」，讓他沒時間看我的過去。
  To prevent my boss from nitpicking my performance during the year-end review, I decided to use the strategy: 以攻為守. Submitted ten different "Future Annual Work Outlook" plans first, giving him no time to look at my past.
  
• 挑毛病 
  The phrase 挑毛病 means paying too much attention to minor, often trivial details in order to criticize. It is similar to the phrase "to find fault with."
• The pattern is 挑 + 人 (person) + 毛病 (faults). You could say:
• 不要亂挑毛病！ Stop nitpicking!
• 這是在挑你毛病吧！It's just finding fault with you!