The Art of War: 40 words to know before you read it
The 40 words active 6th century B.C. Sunzi uses again and again in The Art of War that are outside the 4,000 most common in English. Learn them first and the opening chapters read much more easily. Each comes with its pronunciation and a sentence from the book.
spy/ˈspaɪ/59× in the book
[Chang Yu relates the following anecdote of Kao Tsu, the first Han Emperor: “Wishing to crush the Hsiung-nu, he sent out spies to report on their condition.
retreat/ɹiˈtɹit/35× in the book
(1) By commanding the army to advance or to retreat, being ignorant of the fact that it cannot obey.
commentator/ˈkɑmənˌteɪtɝ/32× in the book
[The commentators, I think, make an unnecessary mystery of two words here.
rear/ˈɹɪɹ/26× in the book
… one to meet the enemy in front, and one to fall upon his rear; if he replies to the frontal attack …
conquer/ˈkɑŋkɝ/21× in the book
The general that hearkens to my counsel and acts upon it, will conquer:—let such a one be retained in command!
chariot/ˈtʃɛɹiət/20× in the book
Sun Tzŭ said: In the operations of war, where there are in the field a thousand swift chariots, as many heavy chariots, and a hundred thousand mail-clad soldiers,
disposition/ˌdɪspəˈzɪʃən/19× in the book
Tu Mu says: "It is through the dispositions of an army that its condition may be discovered.
sovereign/ˈsɑvɹən/17× in the book
(1) Which of the two sovereigns is imbued with the Moral law?
adversary/ˈædvɝˌsɛɹi/17× in the book
… quoted by Tu Yu, says that the good tactician plays with his adversary as a cat plays with a mouse, first feigning weakness and immobility …
drum/ˈdɹəm/17× in the book
… suddenly struck his colors, stopped the beating of the drums, and flung open the city gates …
warfare/ˈwɔɹˌfɛɹ/16× in the book
… "while the main laws of strategy can be stated clearly enough for the benefit of all and sundry, you must be guided by the actions of the enemy in attempting to secure a favourable position in actual warfare."
calculation/ˌkæɫkjəˈɫeɪʃən/16× in the book
… commanding the cavalry, went to the Duke of Wellington in order to learn what his plans and calculations were for the morrow, because …
afterwards/ˈæftɝwɝdz/15× in the book
Thus it is that in war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory.
defence/dɪˈfɛns/14× in the book
[The "swift chariots" were lightly built and, according to Chang Yu, used for the attack; the "heavy chariots" were heavier, and designed for purposes of defence.
chap/ˈtʃæp/14× in the book
["Chang Yu says: "the establishment of harmony and confidence between the higher and lower ranks before venturing into the field;" and he quotes a saying of Wu Tzŭ (chap.
ruler/ˈɹuɫɝ/14× in the book
One might be tempted to render it by "morale," were it not considered as an attribute of the ruler in § 13.]
hostile/ˈhɑstəɫ/14× in the book
… and he wins no reputation for wisdom; inasmuch as the hostile state submits before there has been any bloodshed, he receives no credit for courage."]
favourable13× in the book
According as circumstances are favourable, one should modify one’s plans.
amongst/əˈməŋst/13× in the book
… or provisions are too scanty, or the defenders are variance amongst themselves."]
crush/ˈkɹəʃ/13× in the book
Feign disorder, and crush him.
supra/ˈsupɹə/12× in the book
See supra II.
indirect/ˌɪndɝˈɛkt/12× in the book
To ensure that your whole host may withstand the brunt of the enemy’s attack and remain unshaken—this is effected by manœuvers direct and indirect.
kingdom/ˈkɪŋdəm/11× in the book
Therefore the skilful leader subdues the enemy’s troops without any fighting; he captures their cities without laying siege to them; he overthrows their kingdom without lengthy operations in the field.
skilful10× in the book
The skilful soldier does not raise a second levy, neither are his supply-waggons loaded more than twice.
encamp/ɪnˈkæmp/10× in the book
if well supplied with food, he can starve him out; if quietly encamped, he can force him to move.
ambush/ˈæmˌbʊʃ/10× in the book
Then, as night began to fall, he placed a strong body of archers in ambush near by, with orders to shoot directly if they saw a light.
stat/ˈstæt/10× in the book
We must not forget that Sun Tzŭ, in speaking of hostilities, always has in mind the numerous states or principalities into which the China of his day was split up.]
marsh/ˈmɑɹʃ/10× in the book
We are not fit to lead an army on the march unless we are familiar with the face of the country—its mountains and forests, its pitfalls and precipices, its marshes and swamps.
keen/ˈkin/10× in the book
… they must be used as rewards, so that all your men may have a keen desire to fight, each on his own account."]
penetrate/ˈpɛnəˌtɹeɪt/10× in the book
… that the Chinese have succeeded in carrying out some of their most memorable and triumphant expeditions, such as that of Pan Ch’ao who penetrated to the Caspian, and in more recent years …
banner/ˈbænɝ/10× in the book
Nor can ordinary objects be seen clearly enough: hence the institution of banners and flags.
invade/ˌɪnˈveɪd/10× in the book
[Tu Mu says: "If the enemy is the invading party, we can cut his line of communications and occupy the roads by which he will have to return …
stratagem/ˈstɹætədʒəm/9× in the book
… which implies not an attitude of defence, whereby one might be content to foil the enemy’s stratagems one after another, but an active policy of counter-attack.
plunder/ˈpɫəndɝ/9× in the book
In raiding and plundering be like fire,
hem/ˈhɛm/9× in the book
The latter was obliged to draw off his troops, only to find himself hemmed in between two enemies, who were guarding each outlet of a narrow pass in which he had engaged himself.
dynasty/ˈdaɪnəsti/9× in the book
The classical instance is Wu Wang, who after having put an end to the Yin dynasty was acclaimed "Father and mother of the people."]
envoy/ˈɑnvɔɪ/9× in the book
This done, envoys were dispatched to the enemy’s camp to arrange terms of surrender, whereupon the Yen army began shouting for joy.
clever/ˈkɫɛvɝ/9× in the book
Ho Shih says: "Haste may be stupid, but at any rate it saves expenditure of energy and treasure; protracted operations may be very clever, but they bring calamity in their train."
exhaust/ɪɡˈzɔst/9× in the book
If you lay siege to a town, you will exhaust your strength.
rapidity/ɹəˈpɪdəti/8× in the book
Ts’ao Kung, Li Ch’uan, Meng Shih, Tu Yu, Tu Mu and Mei Yao-ch’en have notes to the effect that a general, though naturally stupid, may nevertheless conquer through sheer force of rapidity.
Pronunciation: ipa-dict (MIT), from Wiktionary.
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