tián​jì​sài​mǎ

Tian Ji horse race

Senses

田忌赛马/ 田忌賽馬 tián​jì​sài​mǎ Tian Ji horse race

(idiom) strategically accepting a minor loss to ensure overall victory; based on a story where 田忌 tián​jì defeated a king by matching his weakest horse against the king's strongest, thus winning the remaining two rounds

References

see 田忌赛马/田忌賽馬 田忌/田忌