Chapter 5: 兵势篇 (Bīng Shì Piān) - Strategic Advantage
孙子曰：凡治众如治寡，分数是也。Sūn Zǐ yuē: Fán zhì zhòng rú zhì guǎ, fēn shù shì yě.
Sun Tzu said: Managing many is the same as managing few; it is a matter of organization.
斗众如斗寡，形名是也。Dòu zhòng rú dòu guǎ, xíng míng shì yě.
Fighting many is the same as fighting few; it is a matter of formations and signals.
三军之众，可使必受敌而无败者，奇正是也。Sān jūn zhī zhòng, kě shǐ bì shòu dí ér wú bài zhě, qí zhèng shì yě.
By using both direct and indirect strategies, an army of any size can withstand the enemy without defeat.
兵之所加，如以碫投卵者，虚实是也。Bīng zhī suǒ jiā, rú yǐ duàn tóu luǎn zhě, xū shí shì yě.
When the force of an army strikes like a grinding stone against an egg, it is a matter of solid versus empty.
善战者，求之于势，不责于人，故能择人而任势。Shàn zhàn zhě, qiú zhī yú shì, bù zé yú rén, gù néng zé rén ér rèn shì.
Those skilled in war rely on advantageous positions, not the abilities of individuals, and so can command their forces effectively.
势者，因利而制权也。Shì zhě, yīn lì ér zhì quán yě.
Advantage arises from adapting to circumstances and controlling the balance of power.
Vocabulary List for Chapter 5
Chinese | Pinyin | English Meaning |
兵势 | bīng shì | strategic advantage, momentum |
治众 | zhì zhòng | managing many |
治寡 | zhì guǎ | managing few |
分数 | fēn shù | division, organization |
斗众 | dòu zhòng | fighting many |
斗寡 | dòu guǎ | fighting few |
形名 | xíng míng | formations and signals |
三军 | sān jūn | three armies, the entire army |
奇正 | qí zhèng | indirect and direct strategies |
虚实 | xū shí | empty and solid, strength and weakness |
碫 | duàn | grinding stone |
卵 | luǎn | egg |
任势 | rèn shì | utilizing momentum |
因利 | yīn lì | adapting to advantage |
制权 | zhì quán | controlling power |
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