凡事預則立，不預則廢

Chinese

		no matter what it is; in all things	to advance; in advance; beforehand to advance; in advance; beforehand; to prepare	(expresses contrast with a previous sentence or clause); standard; norm (expresses contrast with a previous sentence or clause); standard; norm; rule; to imitate; to follow; then; principle	set up; to stand		not; no	to advance; in advance; beforehand to advance; in advance; beforehand; to prepare	(expresses contrast with a previous sentence or clause); standard; norm (expresses contrast with a previous sentence or clause); standard; norm; rule; to imitate; to follow; then; principle	abolish; crippled
trad. (凡事預則立，不預則廢)		凡事	預	則	立	，	不	預	則	廢
simp. (凡事预则立，不预则废)		凡事	预	则	立	，	不	预	则	废
alternative forms		凡事豫則立，不豫則廢／凡事豫则立，不豫则废

Etymology

From the Doctrine of the Mean (《中庸》) in the Book of Rites:

凡事豫則立，不豫則廢。言前定則不跲，事前定則不困，行前定則不疚，道前定則不窮。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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凡事豫则立，不豫则废。言前定则不跲，事前定则不困，行前定则不疚，道前定则不穷。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: The Book of Rites, c. 4^th – 2^nd century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Fán shì yù zé lì, bù yù zé fèi. Yán qiándìng zé bù jiá, shì qiándìng zé bù kùn, xíng qiándìng zé bù jiù, dào qiándìng zé bù qióng. [Pinyin]

In all things success depends on previous preparation, and without such previous preparation there is sure to be failure. If what is to be spoken be previously determined, there will be no stumbling. If affairs be previously determined, there will be no difficulty with them. If one's actions have been previously determined, there will be no sorrow in connection with them. If principles of conduct have been previously determined, the practice of them will be inexhaustible.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): fánshì yù zé lì , bù yù zé fèi

  (Zhuyin): ㄈㄢˊ ㄕˋ ㄩˋ ㄗㄜˊ ㄌㄧˋ , ㄅㄨˋ ㄩˋ ㄗㄜˊ ㄈㄟˋ

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: fánshì yù zé lì , bù yù zé fèi [Phonetic: fánshì yù zé lì , bú yù zé fèi]
    • Zhuyin: ㄈㄢˊ ㄕˋ ㄩˋ ㄗㄜˊ ㄌㄧˋ , ㄅㄨˋ ㄩˋ ㄗㄜˊ ㄈㄟˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: fánshìh yù zé lì , bù yù zé fèi
    • Wade–Giles: fan²-shih⁴ yü⁴ tsê² li⁴ , pu⁴ yü⁴ tsê² fei⁴
    • Yale: fán-shr̀ yù dzé lì , bù yù dzé fèi
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: farnshyh yuh tzer lih , bu buh yuh tzer fey
    • Palladius: фаньши юй цзэ ли , бу юй цзэ фэй (fanʹši juj czɛ li , bu juj czɛ fɛj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /fän³⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ y⁵¹ t͡sɤ³⁵ li⁵¹ ¹ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ y⁵¹ t͡sɤ³⁵ feɪ̯⁵¹/

Proverb

凡事預則立，不預則廢

1. preparedness ensures success and unpreparedness spells failure

   • 然而，「凡事預則立，不預則廢」，沒有事先的計劃和準備，就不能獲得戰爭的勝利。 [MSC, trad.]
     然而，「凡事预则立，不预则废」，没有事先的计划和准备，就不能获得战争的胜利。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 1938, 毛澤東 (Mao Zedong), 《論持久戰》 (On Protracted War), 《毛澤東選集》. English translation based on the Foreign Languages Press edition

     Rán'ér, “fánshì yù zé lì, bù yù zé fèi”, méiyǒu shìxiān de jìhuà hé zhǔnbèi, jiù bùnéng huòdé zhànzhēng de shènglì. [Pinyin]

     Yet, since "preparedness ensures success and unpreparedness spells failure", there can be no victory in war without advance planning and preparations.