退避三舍

Chinese

		to keep away; to step aside; to retreat to avoid	three	thirty li
trad. (退避三舍)		退避	三	舍
simp. #(退避三舍)		退避	三	舍
Literally: “to retreat ninety li”.

Etymology

From the account of Duke Wen of Jin, who, prior to becoming the ruler of Jin, had fled from a succession crisis and had been seeking shelter in various states. After receiving him, King Cheng of Chu asked how he would pay back if he were to become the ruler of Jin. His reply was (《左傳·僖公二十三年》):

若以君之靈，得反晉國，晉楚治兵，遇於中原，其辟君三舍。若不獲命，其左執鞭弭，右屬櫜鞬，以與君周旋。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]

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若以君之灵，得反晋国，晋楚治兵，遇于中原，其辟君三舍。若不获命，其左执鞭弭，右属櫜鞬，以与君周旋。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Ruò yǐ jūn zhī líng, dé fǎn Jìn guó, Jìn Chǔ zhì bīng, yù yú zhōngyuán, qí bì jūn sān shè. Ruò bù huò mìng, qí zuǒ zhí biān mǐ, yòu shǔ gāo jiān, yǐ yǔ jūn zhōuxuán. [Pinyin]

If by your lordship's powerful influence I shall recover the State of Jin, should Chu and Jin go to war and meet in the plain of the Middle Land, I will withdraw from your lordship three stages [each of 30 li]. If then I do not receive your commands to cease from hostilities, with my whip and my bow in my left hand, and my quiver and my bowcase on my right, I will manaeuvre with your lordship.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): tuìbìsānshè

  (Zhuyin): ㄊㄨㄟˋ ㄅㄧˋ ㄙㄢ ㄕㄜˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): teoi³ bei⁶ saam¹ se³

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: tuìbìsānshè
    • Zhuyin: ㄊㄨㄟˋ ㄅㄧˋ ㄙㄢ ㄕㄜˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: tuèibìsanshè
    • Wade–Giles: tʻui⁴-pi⁴-san¹-shê⁴
    • Yale: twèi-bì-sān-shè
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tueybihsansheh
    • Palladius: туйбисаньшэ (tujbisanʹšɛ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʰu̯eɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ pi⁵¹ sän⁵⁵ ʂɤ⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: teoi³ bei⁶ saam¹ se³
    • Yale: teui beih sāam se
    • Cantonese Pinyin: toey³ bei⁶ saam¹ se³
    • Guangdong Romanization: têu³ béi⁶ sam¹ sé³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʰɵy̯³³ pei̯²² saːm⁵⁵ sɛː³³/

Idiom

退避三舍

1. to give way to avoid a conflict in the face of superior strength (to avoid heavy losses)