以柔克刚 (yǐ róu kè gāng) — to overcome hardness with softness; to use gentle means to defeat a strong force

Definition

A chengyu meaning to overcome a strong force through gentle, flexible means — not by meeting force with force. Common in strategy, martial arts, and negotiation contexts.

idiom
to overcome hardness with softnessto use gentle means to defeat a strong force

Examples

  • 以柔克刚，。
    Tài jí quán jiǎng jiu yǐ róu kè gāng, yòng qiǎo jìn huà jiě duì shǒu de lì liàng.
    Tai chi emphasizes overcoming hardness with softness, using skilled force to neutralize an opponent's strength.
  • ，以柔克刚，。
    Zài tán pàn zhōng, tā cǎi yòng yǐ róu kè gāng de cè lüè, zuì zhōng dá chéng le xié yì.
    In the negotiation, he adopted a strategy of using softness to overcome hardness and finally reached an agreement.
  • ，以柔克刚，。
    Shuǐ suī rán róu ruǎn, dàn yǐ róu kè gāng, cháng nián lěi yuè yě néng dī chuān shí tou.
    Water may be soft, but it overcomes hardness with softness — over years it can drip through stone.

Origin

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape came from a drawing of a person carrying something; in 以, part of that person is still visible on the right.

Open 以 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 柔 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 克 →

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 剛; 刚 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 剛 was made by combining a picture-like sign with a sign that gave its sound; the simplified 刚 is a later shorthand.

Open 刚 →

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