先禮後兵

See also: 先礼后兵

Chinese

		early; prior; former early; prior; former; in advance; first	gift; propriety; rite	back; behind; rear back; behind; rear; afterwards; after; later	soldiers; a force; an army soldiers; a force; an army; weapons; arms; military; warlike
trad. (先禮後兵)		先	禮	後	兵
simp. (先礼后兵)		先	礼	后	兵

Etymology

From Romance of the Three Kingdoms:

郭嘉諫曰：「劉備遠來救援，先禮後兵，主公當用好言答之，以慢備心。」 [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]

---

郭嘉谏曰：「刘备远来救援，先礼后兵，主公当用好言答之，以慢备心。」 [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]

From: Romance of the Three Kingdoms, circa 14^th century CE

Guō Jiā jiàn yuē: “Liú Bèi yuǎn lái jiùyuán, xiānlǐhòubīng, zhǔgōng dāng yòng hǎoyán dá zhī, yǐ màn Bèi xīn.” [Pinyin]

(please add an English translation of this usage example)

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): xiānlǐhòubīng

  (Zhuyin): ㄒㄧㄢ ㄌㄧˇ ㄏㄡˋ ㄅㄧㄥ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): sin¹ lai⁵ hau⁶ bing¹

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: xiānlǐhòubīng
    • Zhuyin: ㄒㄧㄢ ㄌㄧˇ ㄏㄡˋ ㄅㄧㄥ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: sianlǐhòubing
    • Wade–Giles: hsien¹-li³-hou⁴-ping¹
    • Yale: syān-lǐ-hòu-bīng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shianliihowbing
    • Palladius: сяньлихоубин (sjanʹlixoubin)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵ li²¹⁴⁻²¹ xoʊ̯⁵¹ piŋ⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: sin¹ lai⁵ hau⁶ bing¹
    • Yale: sīn láih hauh bīng
    • Cantonese Pinyin: sin¹ lai⁵ hau⁶ bing¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: xin¹ lei⁵ heo⁶ bing¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /siːn⁵⁵ lɐi̯¹³ hɐu̯²² pɪŋ⁵⁵/

Idiom

先禮後兵

1. to approach the situation politely before resorting to aggression (or more aggressive measures)