假道伐虢

Chinese

		to go by way of; to go via	(v) cut down; fell; (v) dispatch an expedition against (v) cut down; fell; (v) dispatch an expedition against; descend upon	name of an ancient state
trad. (假道伐虢)		假道	伐	虢
simp. #(假道伐虢)		假道	伐	虢
Literally: “to obtain safe passage to conquer the State of Guo”.

Etymology

From a historical event recorded in Zuo Zhuan.

《左傳·僖公二年》:

晉荀息請以屈產之乘，與垂棘之璧，假道於虞以伐虢。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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晋荀息请以屈产之乘，与垂棘之璧，假道于虞以伐虢。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Jìn Xún Xī qǐng yǐ Qū chǎn zhī shèng, yǔ Chuí Jí zhī bì, jiǎdào yú Yú yǐ fá Guó. [Pinyin]

Xun Xi of Jin requested leave from the marquis to take his team of Qu horses and his Bi of Chui Ji jade, and with them borrow a way from Yu to march through it and attack Guo

《左傳·僖公五年》:

冬，十二月，丙子朔，晉滅虢，虢公醜奔京師。師還，館于虞，遂襲虞，滅之。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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冬，十二月，丙子朔，晋灭虢，虢公丑奔京师。师还，馆于虞，遂袭虞，灭之。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Dōng, shí'èryuè, bǐngzǐ shuò, Jìn miè Guó, Guó gōng Chǒu bēn jīngshī. Shī huán, guǎn yú Yú, suì xí Yú, miè zhī. [Pinyin]

In winter, in the 12th month, on bing-zi, the 1st day of the moon, Jin extinguished Guo, and Chou, the duke, fled to the capital. The army, on its return, took up its quarters in Yu, surprised the city, and extinguished the state.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): jiǎdàofáguó, jiǎdàofāguó

  (Zhuyin): ㄐㄧㄚˇ ㄉㄠˋ ㄈㄚˊ ㄍㄨㄛˊ, ㄐㄧㄚˇ ㄉㄠˋ ㄈㄚ ㄍㄨㄛˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): gaa² dou⁶ fat⁶ gwik¹

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese, Mainland)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: jiǎdàofáguó
    • Zhuyin: ㄐㄧㄚˇ ㄉㄠˋ ㄈㄚˊ ㄍㄨㄛˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: jiǎdàofáguó
    • Wade–Giles: chia³-tao⁴-fa²-kuo²
    • Yale: jyǎ-dàu-fá-gwó
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jeadawfargwo
    • Palladius: цзядаофаго (czjadaofago)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕi̯ä²¹⁴⁻²¹ tɑʊ̯⁵¹ fä³⁵ ku̯ɔ³⁵/
      
  • (Standard Chinese, Taiwan)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: jiǎdàofāguó
    • Zhuyin: ㄐㄧㄚˇ ㄉㄠˋ ㄈㄚ ㄍㄨㄛˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: jiǎdàofaguó
    • Wade–Giles: chia³-tao⁴-fa¹-kuo²
    • Yale: jyǎ-dàu-fā-gwó
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jeadawfagwo
    • Palladius: цзядаофаго (czjadaofago)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕi̯ä²¹⁴⁻²¹ tɑʊ̯⁵¹ fä⁵⁵ ku̯ɔ³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: gaa² dou⁶ fat⁶ gwik¹
    • Yale: gá douh faht gwīk
    • Cantonese Pinyin: gaa² dou⁶ fat⁹ gwik⁷
    • Guangdong Romanization: ga² dou⁶ fed⁶ guig¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kaː³⁵ tou̯²² fɐt̚² kʷɪk̚⁵/

Idiom

假道伐虢

1. (figurative) to make peace with a smaller enemy and use it as a springboard to attack another common enemy, before turning on the first