兵来将敌，水来土堰 bīng lái jiàng dí ， shuǐ lái tǔ yàn

to adopt measures appropriate to the actual situation

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. to adopt measures appropriate to the actual situation
  2. 2. counter soldiers with arms, water with an earth weir (idiom); different situations call for different action

Characters

Character Meaning
兵 bīng HSK 5
soldiers; military; weapons
来 lái HSK 1
to come; to arrive; next
将 jiàng HSK 4
will; shall
敌 dí HSK 5
enemy; to be a match for; to rival
水 shuǐ HSK 1
water; liquid; beverage
来 lái HSK 1
to come; to arrive; next
土 tǔ HSK 5
earth; clay; local
堰 yàn
weir