Best 470 quotes of Sun Tzu on MyQuotes

A battle avoided cannot be lost.

According to my assessment, even if you have many more troops than others, how can that help you to victory?

A clever general... avoids an army when its spirit is keen, but attacks it when it is sluggish and inclined to return. This is the art of studying moods. Disciplined and calm, he awaits the appearance of disorder and hubbub among the enemy. This is the art of retaining self-possession.

Act after having made assessments. The one who first knows the measure of far and near wins - this is the rule of armed struggle.

Against those skilled in attack, an enemy does not know where to defend; against the experts in defense, the enemy does not know where to attack.

Agitate him and ascertain the pattern of his movement.

A kingdom that has once been destroyed can never come again into being; nor can the dead ever be brought back to life.

A leader leads by example not by force.

All battles are won before they start.

All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved.

All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.

All warfare is based on deception. If your enemy is superior, evade him. If angry, irritate him. If equally matched, fight and if not: split and re-evaluate.

All warfare is based on deception. Therefore, when capable, feign incapacity; when active, inactivity. When near, make it appear that you are far away; when far away, that you are to lure him; feign disorder and strike him. When he concentrates, prepare against him; where he is strong, avoid him. Anger his general and confuse him. Pretend inferiority and encourage his arrogance.

All warfare is based on deception. There is no place where espionage is not used. Offer the enemy bait to lure him.

All war is based on deception.

All war is deception.

Amid the turmoil and tumult of battle, there may be seeming disorder and yet no real disorder at all.

A military operation involves deception. Even though you are competent, appear to be incompetent. Though effective, appear to be ineffective.

An army may be likened to water, for just as flowing water avoids the heights and hastens to the lowlands, so an army avoids strength and strikes weakness.

And regulation entails organizational effectiveness, a chain of command, and a structure for logistical support.

And therefore those skilled in war bring the enemy to the field of battle and are not brought there by him.

And therefore only the enlightened sovereign and the worthy general who are able to use the most intelligent people as agents are certain to achieve great things.

Apparent confusion is a product of good order; apparent cowardice, of courage; apparent weakness, of strength.

Appear at points which the enemy must hasten to defend; march swiftly to places where you are not expected.

Appraise war in terms of the fundamental factors. The first of these factors is moral influence.

A sovereign of high character and intelligence must be able to know the right man, should place the responsibility on him, and expect results.

As water has no constant form, there are in war no constant conditions.

As water shapes its flow in accordance with the ground, so an army manages its victory in accordance with the situation of the enemy.

Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.

Attack is the secret of defense; defense is the planning of an attack.

Attack like the Fire and be still as the Mountain

Attack the enemy's strategy.

Attack where he is unprepared; sally forth when he does not expect you.

A warrior who is prepared to fight must also be prepared to die.

A wise general makes a point of foraging of the enemy.

Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent's fate.

Begin by seizing something which your opponent holds dear; then he will be amenable to your will.

Being unconquerable lies with yourself; being conquerable lies with your enemy.

Bestow rewards without regard to rule, issue orders without regard to previous arrangements; and you will be able to handle a whole army as though you had to do with but a single man.

Bestow rewards without respect to customary practice; publish orders without respect to precedent. Thus you may employ the entire army as you would one man.

Be subtle! be subtle! and use your spies for every kind of business.

Be the first to seize intersecting ground, that is ground which lies the intersections of borders or intersections of main thoroughfares of commerce and travel. Your occupation of it gives you access to all who border it and all who would covet it. On intersecting ground, if you establish alliances you are safe, if you lose alliances you are in peril.

Be where your enemy is not.

Birds rising in flight is a sign that the enemy is lying in ambush; when the wild animals are startled and flee he is trying to take you unaware.

Bring war material with you from home, but forage on the enemy... use the conquered foe to augment one's own strength.

Build your opponent a golden bridge to retreat across.

By altering his arrangements and changing his plans, the skillful general keeps the enemy without definite knowledge. By shifting his camp and taking circuitous routes, he prevents the enemy from anticipating his purpose. At the critical moment, the leader of an army acts like one who has climbed up a height and then kicks away the ladder behind him.

Carefully compare the opposing army with your own, so that you may know where strength is superabundant and where it is deficient.

Carefully study the well-being of your men, and do not overtax them. Concentrate your energy and hoard your strength. Keep your army continually on the move, and devise unfathomable plans.

Concentrate your energy and hoard your strength.