寸进尺退
Cùn jìn chǐ tuì
An Inch Forward, a Foot Back
原文Original Text
「不敢进寸而退尺。」
——《道德经》第69章 — Daodejing, Chapter 69

释义Annotation

「寸进尺退」出自《道德经》第六十九章。宁可前进一寸,也要后退一尺。老子在此章论述用兵之道,认为真正高明的战略家不轻易进攻,反而宁愿退让。不敢轻进,是真正的勇敢;不轻举妄动,是真正的智慧。以退为进,后发制人。

"Cun jin chi tui" comes from Chapter 69 of the Daodejing. Rather than advance an inch, retreat a foot. Laozi discusses the art of warfare, arguing that the truly brilliant strategist does not attack lightly but prefers to yield. Not daring to advance is true courage; not acting rashly is true wisdom. Retreat to advance; yield to gain the upper hand.

核心概念Core Concepts

此成语蕴含道家「守柔」「知足」「抱朴」等核心理念。老子通过这一比喻,阐述了顺应自然、不争不抢、返璞归真的处世智慧。在纷繁复杂的现代社会中,这些古老的智慧依然闪耀着指引的光芒。

This idiom embodies core Taoist concepts of "keeping to softness," "knowing contentment," and "embracing simplicity." Through this metaphor, Laozi expounds the wisdom of following nature, not competing, and returning to authenticity. In our complex modern world, these ancient insights continue to illuminate the path forward.