下策

Part of a classic three-tier scale from Chinese strategy thinking: 上策 (shàngcè, best plan) 中策 (zhōngcè, middling plan) 下策 (xiàcè, worst plan). The triplet appears throughout 《孙子兵法》 (The Art of War) and 《三国演义》 (Romance of the Three Kingdoms) when advisors lay out options for a ruler.

usage

Use 下策 when you mean 'a poor choice' or 'a desperate move' - not just 'plan B'. It's evaluative and always negative.