"Know the enemy and know yourself" originates from The Art of War: Attack by Stratagem, where the original text reads, "Know the enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles without defeat." It means that by understanding both the enemy's situation and one's own, one can achieve victory in every battle. The core of this idiom lies in emphasizing the importance of comprehensive cognition: only by having a clear and objective understanding of both oneself and the external environment at the same time can one make correct decisions and avoid blind actions. It is often used in scenarios such as military affairs, business competition, sports contests, and interpersonal interactions, reflecting a kind of rational and prudent wisdom. In terms of cultural background, it represents the ancient Chinese military school's idea of "victory first, then battle," emphasizing the key role of information and intelligence. In emotional coloring, this idiom is relatively neutral, but it often carries a commendatory sense, used to praise someone for being good at analysis and acting only after planning. When used, it can stand alone as a sentence or serve as a predicate or attributive, for example, "Know the enemy and know yourself, and only then can you stand invincible."
📝 Example
1. Before business negotiations, we must know both ourselves and our rivals, fully understanding the other side's bottom line and our own advantages. (Meaning: to know both the opponent and oneself)
2. The coach required the players to study the opponent's videos in depth before the match while also analyzing their own weaknesses, truly knowing both themselves and the enemy. (Meaning: to have a thorough understanding of both sides)