欲擒故纵

欲擒故縱

yùqín-gùzòng

idiom #22,743

Meanings

1 to loosen the reins in order to grasp better
2 play hard to get
3 let the enemy go in order to catch them later

Characters

to desire / to want

to capture / to seize

deliberately / on purpose / old

to release / to let go / vertical

Examples

HSK 6

他故意不接她的电话，这是欲擒故纵的策略。

Tā gùyì bù jiē tā de diànhuà, zhè shì yùqín-gùzòng de cèlüè.

He deliberately didn't answer her calls - this was a play-hard-to-get strategy.

HSK 7-9

将军采用欲擒故纵之计，引诱敌军深入包围圈。

Jiāngjūn cǎiyòng yùqín-gùzòng zhī jì, yǐnyòu díjūn shēnrù bāowéiquān.

The general used the tactic of letting the enemy advance, luring them deep into the encirclement.

Tips

history

欲擒故纵 is Stratagem No. 16 of the 三十六计 (36 Stratagems), a classic Chinese text on military deception. The principle: relax your grip to make the enemy complacent, then strike. It is attributed to military strategists of the Warring States period.

Stroke Order

欲 yù

擒 qín

故 gù

纵 zòng