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足智多谋 (zú zhì duō móu) — resourceful; full of stratagems

Definition

An idiom praising broad, strategic cleverness — someone who devises many plans and tactics, stronger and more stratagem-focused than the quicker-witted 机智. Closer to 鬼's 'cunning, sly' sense, but 足智多谋 is unambiguously admiring.

phrase
resourcefulfull of stratagems

Examples

  • 足智多谋，。
    Zhè wèi jiāng jūn zú zhì duō móu, měi cì zhàn dòu dōu néng chū qí zhì shèng.
    This general is resourceful and can win each battle with surprise tactics.
  • ，足智多谋。
    Zài fù zá de tán pàn zhōng, zú zhì duō móu de yì fāng gèng róng yì dá chéng yǒu lì xié yì.
    In complex negotiations, the resourceful side finds it easier to reach a favorable agreement.
  • 足智多谋，。
    Tā zú zhì duō móu, zhǐ yòng sān tiān jiù cè huà chū le wán měi de jiù yuán fāng àn.
    He is full of stratagems and devised the perfect rescue plan in just three days.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

足智abundant wisdom
足zúabundant智zhìwisdom
偏正Modifier + head
多谋many plans
多duōmany谋móuplan
偏正Modifier + head

足智 means abundant wisdom and 多谋 means many plans, so together they describe resourcefulness.

Characters in this word

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

足 was originally drawn as a leg.

Open 足 →

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

The early form 智 used 大 (adult), 口 (mouth), and 子 (child): an adult speaking to pass knowledge to a child.

Open 智 →

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

多 originally showed two pieces of meat placed together; the repeated meat shape gives the sense of many.

Open 多 →

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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Idioms & Set PhrasesPersonality & Traits

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.