纵横捭阖

縱橫捭闔
zònghéng-bǎihé
idiom

Meanings

  1. 1 political maneuvering and alliance-building
  2. 2 to operate skillfully in politics or diplomacy
  3. 3 to deploy shifting strategies

Examples

HSK 7-9
Tā zài shāngchǎng shàng zònghéng-bǎihé, jiànlì le pángdà de shāngyè dìguó.
He maneuvered skillfully in business and built a vast empire.
HSK 7-9
Zhànguó cèshì zònghéng-bǎihé yú zhūhóu zhījiān.
Warring States strategists worked their maneuvers among the feudal lords.

Tips

history
纵横 refers to the rival diplomatic schools of the Warring States: Su Qin's 合纵 (vertical alliance of six states against Qin) vs Zhang Yi's 连横 (horizontal alliance with Qin). 捭阖 comes from the 鬼谷子 text on persuasion.

Stroke Order

zòng
héng
bǎi