将计就计

將計就計

jiāngjì-jiùjì

idiom

Meanings

1 to turn someone's trick against them
2 to beat someone at their own game

Characters

Examples

他决定将计就计，反过来利用对方。

Tā juédìng jiāngjì-jiùjì, fǎnguòlái lìyòng duìfāng.

He decided to turn their plan against them.

既然他们想骗我们，我们就将计就计。

Jìrán tāmen xiǎng piàn wǒmen, wǒmen jiù jiāngjì-jiùjì.

Since they want to trick us, let's beat them at their own game.

诸葛亮将计就计，大败曹军。

Zhūgěliàng jiāngjì-jiùjì, dàbài Cáo jūn.

Zhuge Liang turned the trick back on them and crushed Cao's army.

Tips

history

Attested in Li Wenwei's Yuan-dynasty zaju 《张子房圮桥进履》. A recurring tactic in 《三国演义》 (Romance of the Three Kingdoms), especially attributed to Zhuge Liang.

memory

Literally 'take (将) the plan (计) and follow through with (就) the plan (计)' — you adopt the enemy's scheme as your own and weaponize it back.

Stroke Order

将 jiāng

计 jì

就 jiù