thiên phương bách kế
Definition
- Idiom:
- To resort to all sorts of schemes; to try every trick in the book: Describes the act of employing countless clever plans, tricks, or stratagems in a tireless effort to achieve a specific goal, often implying cunning or relentless effort.
Usage Examples
- Idiom:
- Hắn ta dùng thiên phương bách kế để giành lấy hợp đồng đó. (He used every trick in the book to win that contract.)
- Dù có thiên phương bách kế, cuối cùng họ cũng thất bại. (Even after resorting to all sorts of schemes, they ultimately failed.)
Advanced Usage
- The idiom often carries a slightly negative connotation, suggesting the methods used might be overly cunning, deceitful, or desperate. It emphasizes the sheer number and variety of attempts.
Variants and Related Words
- Trăm phương nghìn kế (idiom): A close synonym with the same meaning (a hundred plans, a thousand tricks).
- Cô ấy dùng trăm phương nghìn kế để thuyết phục họ. (She used a hundred and one methods to persuade them.)
Synonyms
- To leave no stone unturned: To try every possible course of action.
- To try every trick in the book: To use every available method, especially cunning or clever ones.
- To use all manner of stratagems: To employ various clever schemes.
Related Idioms
- Bày mưu tính kế: To plot and scheme.
- Họ ngồi lại bày mưu tính kế đối phó với đối thủ. (They sat together plotting schemes to deal with their rival.)