兵马未动，粮草先行 bīng mǎ wèi dòng ， liáng cǎo xiān xíng

DEFINITIONS

  1. before the troops move, fodder and provisions go first (idiom); logistics comes before military maneuvers
  2. an army marches on its stomach

CHARACTERS

兵 bīng
HSK 5
soldier, troops
马 mǎ
HSK 3
horse; surname; KangXi radical 187
未 wèi
HSK 5
not yet; 8th terrestrial branch
动 dòng
HSK 2
move, happen; movement, action
粮 liáng
HSK 5
food, grain, provisions
草 cǎo
HSK 3
grass, straw, thatch, herbs
先 xiān
HSK 1
first, former, previous
行 xíng
HSK 3
go; walk; move, travel; circulate