审时度势 (shěn shí duó shì) — to study the situation and act accordingly

Definition

A formal chengyu meaning to read the situation carefully before acting — judge the timing and the balance of power, then adapt. Used in writing or high-stakes contexts (leadership, strategy, business), not everyday speech.

idiom

to study the situation and act accordingly

Examples

，审时度势。
Zài jué dìng tóu zī zhī qián, wǒ men bì xū shěn shí duó shì.
Before making an investment decision, we must assess the situation.
审时度势。
Yí wèi yōu xiù de lǐng dǎo zhě dǒng de shěn shí duó shì.
An excellent leader knows how to gauge the situation.
，审时度势，。
Zài zhàn chǎng shàng, zhǔ shuài bì xū shěn shí duó shì, líng huó yìng duì.
On the battlefield, the commander must assess the situation and adapt flexibly.

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