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.