谋略 (móu lüè) — strategy; astuteness and resourcefulness; plan

Definition

谋略 refers to long-term, often military strategy — the planning and cleverness behind winning, broader than a single 计划. Use it for shrewd, calculated plans, not everyday to-do lists.

noun
strategyastuteness and resourcefulnessplan

Examples

  • 谋略。
    Tā shì yí wèi hěn yǒu móu lüè de jiāng jūn.
    He is a general with great strategic acumen.
  • 谋略，。
    Zhè chǎng shèng lì kào de shì móu lüè, bú shì mán lì.
    This victory relied on strategy, not brute force.
  • 谋略。
    Gǔ dài bīng shū lǐ jì zǎi le xǔ duō móu lüè.
    Many strategies are recorded in ancient military texts.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

谋móuplan
略lüèstrategy

谋 means plan and 略 means strategy, so 谋略 denotes a plan or strategic resourcefulness.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 謀; 谋 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
某
某mǒu謀móu
Same sound today

The traditional form 謀 uses 言 to show it relates to speech and 某 to show its sound; the simplified 谋 is a later shorthand.

Open 谋 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
田田tiánfield
Sound part声符shēngfú
各
各gè略lüè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

略 combines 田 (field) with 各 for sound; the described idea is walking around a field to outline it.

Open 略 →

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