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

HSK 5

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.

HSK 7-9

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.

HSK 7-9

诸葛亮将计就计，大败曹军。

Zhūgě Liàng 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