暗度陈仓 (àn dù chén cāng) — (idiom) to feign one action while secretly achieving another; to do something under cover of a diversion

Definition

A historical-strategy chengyu: appearing to take one route (openly) while secretly advancing via another to gain advantage. Used as a verb phrase meaning 'to feint openly and strike covertly' — a deliberate tactic, not random deception.

idiom
to feign one action while secretly achieving anotherto do something under cover of a diversion
Easily confused

Examples

  • ，暗度陈仓，。
    Tā biǎo miàn shàng zài tán pàn, shí jì shì àn dù chén cāng, àn zhōng lián xì le duì fāng duì shǒu.
    On the surface he was negotiating, but actually he was secretly contacting the other side's opponent — a classic feint.
  • ，暗度陈仓，。
    Zhè chǎng shāng yè jìng zhēng, tā men yòng le àn dù chén cāng de cè lüè, chéng gōng qiǎng zhàn le shì chǎng.
    In this business competition, they used a 'feint and strike' strategy and successfully captured the market.
  • ，暗度陈仓。
    Zhàn zhēng zhōng, àn dù chén cāng shì cháng yòng de jì móu zhī yī.
    In warfare, 'secretly crossing at Chencang' is one of the commonly used stratagems.

Origin

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
日日rìsun
Sound part声符shēngfú
音
音yīn暗àn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

暗 pairs 日 (sun) with 音, which gives the sound.

Open 暗 →

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
又又yòuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
石
石shí度dù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

度 has 又 (hand) and a changed form of 石; 石 gives a related sound, and the hand is tied to using the hand as a reference for measurement.

Open 度 →

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 陳; 陈 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
阜阜fùmound
Sound part声符shēngfú
東
東dōng陳chén
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 陳 pairs 阜 (mound) with 東 as a sound component.

Open 陈 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 倉; 仓 is its simplified writing.

仓 is explained through the traditional form 倉, which pairs 合 (gather) with 戶 (door) to show a warehouse.

Open 仓 →

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