Definition

1. Noun:
   • Strategist; military advisor: A person who devises plans, schemes, and strategies, especially for commanding an army or in military operations. This term originates from historical contexts but is still used today, often metaphorically.
   • Counselor; adviser: In a broader, often humorous or ironic sense, a person who gives advice or schemes in any situation, not necessarily military.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Gia Cát Lượng được xem là một quân sư lỗi lạc trong lịch sử Trung Quốc. (Zhuge Liang is considered a brilliant strategist in Chinese history.)
  • Đừng nghe nó, nó chỉ là quân sư quạt mo thôi! (Don't listen to him; he's just a lousy advisor!)
  • Anh ấy là quân sư đằng sau mọi kế hoạch kinh doanh của công ty. (He is the strategist behind all the company's business plans.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in a figurative or colloquial manner to describe someone who is the "mastermind" or "plotter" behind scenes in various contexts like business, politics, or even personal life.
• It can carry a slightly negative or ironic connotation when referring to someone giving cunning or dubious advice.

Variants and Related Words

• Quân sư quạt mo (idiomatic phrase): A worthless or incompetent advisor. Literally, "a strategist with a palm-leaf fan," implying low quality or foolish counsel.
• Cố vấn quân sự (n): Military advisor (a more modern, formal term).
• Chiến lược gia (n): Strategist (a general, modern term not limited to military contexts).

Synonyms

• Strategist: One skilled in planning strategy.
• Advisor / Counsellor: One who gives advice.
• Mastermind: A person who plans and directs a complex project or scheme.

Related Idioms

• Quân sư quạt mo: As above, a derisive term for a bad advisor.
  • Lời khuyên của hắn chẳng ra gì, đúng là quân sư quạt mo. (His advice is worthless; he's truly a lousy strategist.)
• Quân sư tồi: A poor or inept strategist.

noun

1. strategist