始めは処女の如く後は脱兎の如し
はじめはしょじょのごとくのちはだっとのごとし
Also written 始めは処女のごとく後は脱兎のごとし
Meanings
- Expression hide your true strength, and then later swiftly attack the unprepared enemy (literally: first be like a (meek) virgin, later like a running hare) (from Sun Tzu's Art of War)
Kanji
- 始 begin. Read as はじめる.
- 処 deal with. Read as ショ.
- 女 woman. Read as ジョ.
- 如 as if. Read as ごとし.
- 後 after. Read as のち.
- 脱 escape. Read as ダツ.
- 兎 rabbit; hare