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避实就虚

避實就虛
bìshí-jiùxū
idiom

Meanings

  1. 1 to avoid the strong points and attack the weak
  2. 2 to dodge the substantive and stick to the superficial
  3. 3 to evade the heart of an issue

Examples

HSK 3
他回答问题时总是避实就虚。
Tā huídá wèntí shí zǒngshì bìshí-jiùxū.
He always dodges the substance when answering questions.
HSK 7-9
兵法讲究避实就虚，攻其不备。
Bīngfǎ jiǎngjiu bìshí-jiùxū, gōngqíbúbèi.
The art of war emphasizes avoiding the enemy's strength, attacking weak points, and striking when they are unprepared.

Tips

history
Originates from Sunzi’s 《孙子兵法·虚实篇》: 兵之形，避实而击虚, military strategy avoids the enemy’s solid points and strikes their hollow ones.
usage
Two flavors: praise in military/strategic contexts (smart tactics), or criticism in everyday speech (someone is being evasive). Tone tells you which.

Stroke Order

避 bì
实 shí
就 jiù
虚 xū