先下手为强 (xiān xià shǒu wéi qiáng) — to take the initiative is to gain the upper hand; the early bird catches the worm
Definition
A chengyu meaning 'he who strikes first wins' — acting first gives the advantage. Used to justify seizing the initiative in competition, business, or conflict, often as a strategy principle.
idiom
to take the initiative is to gain the upper handthe early bird catches the worm
Examples
- ，先下手为强，。Zhè cì bǐ sài, xiān xià shǒu wéi qiáng, wǒ men yīng gāi tí qián zhǔn bèi.In this competition, to take the initiative is to gain the upper hand — we should prepare in advance.
- 先下手为强，。Zuò shēng yi yào jì zhù xiān xià shǒu wéi qiáng, wǎn le jī huì jiù méi le.When doing business, remember that the first mover gains the advantage; if you're late, the opportunity is gone.
- 先下手为强，。xiān xià shǒu wéi qiáng, Dí rén hái méi fǎn yìng guò lái wǒ men jiù zhàn lǐng le gāo dì.We took the initiative and gained the upper hand — before the enemy could react, we had seized the high ground.
Appears in
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