諺語 · a single proverb
不打無準備之仗
What does 不打無準備之仗 (bù dǎ wú zhǔn bèi zhī zhàng) mean?
不打無準備之仗 (bù dǎ wú zhǔn bèi zhī zhàng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "do not fight battles without preparation." In use it means: Never enter a conflict or undertaking without thorough preparation. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Metal note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Dog.
Literally: "do not fight battles without preparation."
The reading
The battle entered without preparation is not a battle but a donation. What is given freely and without resistance to the opponent who did prepare is not courage but its absence. Readiness is not paranoia; it is the respect that the difficulty ahead deserves, and giving it that respect is the first act of taking it seriously.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Traditional Chinese military saying
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Courage & Decisive Action, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Dog, Year of the Ox, and Year of the Tiger.
Questions
Is 不打無準備之仗 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 不打無準備之仗 (bù dǎ wú zhǔn bèi zhī zhàng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Traditional Chinese military saying. It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 不打無準備之仗?
In Mandarin it is bù dǎ wú zhǔn bèi zhī zhàng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 不打無準備之仗 aloud in Mandarin.