彼を知り己を知れば百戦殆からず

Japanese
Kanji in this term
彼 知 己 知 百 戦 殆
かれ
Grade: S		 し
Grade: 2		 おのれ
Grade: 6		 し
Grade: 2		 ひゃく
Grade: 1		 せん
Grade: 4		 あやう
Jinmeiyō
kun’yomi goon kun’yomi
Alternative spelling
彼を知り己を知れば百戰殆からず (kyūjitai)

Etymology

Calque of Literary Chinese 知彼知己，百戰不殆 (zhībǐzhījǐ, bǎizhànbùdài), from the chapter 謀攻／谋攻 (“Attack by Stratagem”) of Sun Tzu’s Art of War.

Phrase

彼(かれ)を知(し)り己(おのれ)を知(し)れば百(ひゃく)戦(せん)殆(あやう)からず • (kare o shiri onore o shireba hyakusen ayaukarazu) 

  1. (literal) know the other side and yourself, a hundred battles will not be perilous
  2. (figurative) it is important to understand the strength and weakness of your side and the opposing side, in order to mitigate the risk of failure
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