諺語 · a single proverb
知己知彼
What does 知己知彼 (zhī jǐ zhī bǐ) mean?
知己知彼 (zhī jǐ zhī bǐ) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "know yourself, know your opponent." In use it means: Understanding both your own strengths and weaknesses and those of your opponent is the key to consistent success. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Water note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Snake.
Literally: "know yourself, know your opponent."
The reading
Half the generals who lost did not know the enemy. The other half did not know themselves. Both halves made the same mistake: they entered the field with incomplete information and called it confidence. Confidence built on half the picture is just a more comfortable form of ignorance.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Sun Tzu 孫子兵法, Mou Gong 謀攻 (ch. 3)
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 Snake, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 知己知彼 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 知己知彼 (zhī jǐ zhī bǐ) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Sun Tzu 孫子兵法, Mou Gong 謀攻 (ch. 3). 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 知己知彼?
In Mandarin it is zhī jǐ zhī bǐ. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 知己知彼 aloud in Mandarin.