不可沽名学霸王

不可沽名學霸王

bùkěgūmíngxuébàwáng

phrase

Meanings

1 one must not chase empty reputation by imitating the Hegemon-King
2 (fig.) don't let misplaced pride stop you from finishing off a beaten enemy — press the advantage
3 (lit.) not — may — buy / chase — name — imitate — Hegemon-King

Characters

to buy / chase (沽名 = fish for fame)

Examples

敌人已败，不可沽名学霸王，要一鼓作气。

Dírén yǐ bài, bùkě gū míng xué Bàwáng, yào yī gǔ zuò qì.

The enemy is already beaten — don't play the Hegemon-King for glory; press on in one stroke.

毛主席说宜将剩勇追穷寇，不可沽名学霸王。

Máo zhǔxí shuō yí jiāng shèng yǒng zhuī qióng kòu, bùkě gū míng xué Bàwáng.

Chairman Mao said: 'use remaining strength to chase the beaten foe; do not seek empty fame like the Hegemon-King.'

Tips

history

From 毛泽东《七律·人民解放军占领南京》 (Mao Zedong, April 1949, after PLA forces captured Nanjing): 宜将剩勇追穷寇，不可沽名学霸王。天若有情天亦老，人间正道是沧桑 (Use remaining courage to chase the beaten enemy; do not seek empty fame like the Hegemon-King. If heaven had feeling, heaven too would age; the true path in this world is upheaval). 霸王 = 项羽 (Xiang Yu), who famously let Liu Bang escape at 鸿门宴 rather than kill an unarmed guest — losing the empire. Mao argues: do not repeat Xiang Yu's chivalrous mistake; press the KMT to total defeat.

usage

沽名 = classical 'to chase / buy a reputation' (沽 = purchase). Almost always quoted with 宜将剩勇追穷寇. 霸王 here is capitalized — the specific historical figure Xiang Yu, not the generic word for tyrant.

Stroke Order

不 bù

可 kě

沽 gū

名 míng

学 xué

霸 bà

王 wáng