chūqíbùyì: 出其不意 - To Catch by Surprise, To Act Unexpectedly

• Keywords: chūqíbùyì, 出其不意, Chinese idiom for surprise, take by surprise, catch off guard, unexpected action, Chinese military strategy, Sun Tzu Art of War, Chinese chengyu, surprise attack.
• Summary: 出其不意 (chūqíbùyì) is a famous Chinese idiom (chengyu) originating from Sun Tzu's *Art of War*. It means “to take someone by surprise” or “to catch them off guard” by acting when they least expect it. While rooted in military strategy, this term is now widely used in business, sports, and everyday life to describe any clever and unexpected action designed to gain an advantage or create a surprising effect.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): chū qí bù yì
• Part of Speech: Chengyu (Idiom); often used as an adverbial phrase.
• HSK Level: HSK 6
• Concise Definition: To emerge or act at a moment when others do not expect it.
• In a Nutshell: Think of 出其不意 (chūqíbùyì) as the ultimate “surprise move.” It's not just something happening suddenly; it's a deliberate action taken by someone who knows that the other person is unprepared. It carries a strong sense of strategy and cleverness, like a sudden checkmate in chess, a surprise product launch by a company, or a prank perfectly timed to catch a friend completely off guard.

• 出 (chū): To go out, to emerge, to appear.
• 其 (qí): A pronoun meaning his, her, their, its. In this context, it refers to “the other party” or “the opponent.”
• 不 (bù): Not, no.
• 意 (yì): Expectation, intention, thought.

When combined, the characters literally mean: “To emerge when their expectations are not there.” This paints a vivid picture of appearing at a time and place that is completely unforeseen by others.

• The phrase is famously from the ancient military treatise, 《孙子兵法》(Sūnzǐ Bīngfǎ) - The Art of War. The full, iconic line is “攻其不备，出其不意” (gōng qí bù bèi, chū qí bù yì), which translates to “Attack them where they are unprepared, appear where you are not expected.”
• This idiom reflects a core value in Chinese strategic thinking: achieving victory through intelligence, timing, and psychological advantage rather than just brute force. The ideal victory is one that is won with minimal effort by outsmarting the opponent.
• Comparison to Western Concepts: In the West, “surprise” can often be a passive event (e.g., “I was surprised by the rain”). 出其不意 (chūqíbùyì) is almost always an active strategy. It's closer to a “blitz” in American football or a “preemptive strike” in military terms. However, unlike these specific terms, `chūqíbùyì` can be applied to countless non-violent situations, from business negotiations to friendly jokes. It highlights a cultural appreciation for clever, indirect approaches to achieving a goal.

• 出其不意 (chūqíbùyì) is a versatile idiom used in both formal and informal contexts. It's often used with the particle “地 (de)” to modify a verb, as in 出其不意地 (chūqíbùyì de)…
• Business and Marketing: A company might 出其不意地 launch a new product, catching all its competitors off guard and dominating the news cycle.
• Sports: A basketball player might 出其不意地 pass the ball instead of shooting, leading to an easy score for a teammate.
• Everyday Conversation: You might describe a friend who showed up at your door unannounced from another city as visiting you 出其不意.
• Connotation: The term is generally neutral to positive, implying cleverness and effectiveness. However, if the action is malicious (like a sneaky attack), the connotation can become negative. The focus is on the successful execution of the surprise.

• Example 1:
  • 兵法说，要出其不意，攻其不备。
  • Pinyin: Bīngfǎ shuō, yào chūqíbùyì, gōngqíbùbèi.
  • English: The Art of War says, you must act when they don't expect it and attack where they are unprepared.
  • Analysis: This is the classic, original usage, often quoted to talk about strategy.
• Example 2:
  • 我们的篮球队出其不意地用了一个新战术，赢得了比赛。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen de lánqiúduì chūqíbùyì de yòngle yī gè xīn zhànshù, yíngdéle bǐsài.
  • English: Our basketball team unexpectedly used a new tactic and won the game.
  • Analysis: A perfect example of the idiom used in a sports context to mean a clever, game-winning strategy.
• Example 3:
  • 为了给妈妈一个惊喜，我们决定出其不意地回家看她。
  • Pinyin: Wèile gěi māma yī gè jīngxǐ, wǒmen juédìng chūqíbùyì de huíjiā kàn tā.
  • English: To give Mom a surprise, we decided to go home to see her when she wasn't expecting it.
  • Analysis: This shows the idiom's use in a warm, personal context. The “strategy” here is to create a happy surprise.
• Example 4:
  • 竞争对手出其不意地发布了一款新手机，打了我们一个措手不及。
  • Pinyin: Jìngzhēng duìshǒu chūqíbùyì de fābùle yī kuǎn xīn shǒujī, dǎle wǒmen yī gè cuòshǒubùjí.
  • English: The competitor caught us off guard by unexpectedly releasing a new phone.
  • Analysis: A very common business usage. Note the result: `措手不及 (cuòshǒubùjí)`, meaning “to be caught unprepared.”
• Example 5:
  • 面试官出其不意地问了我一个关于哲学的问题。
  • Pinyin: Miànshìguān chūqíbùyì de wènle wǒ yī gè guānyú zhéxué de wèntí.
  • English: The interviewer caught me by surprise by asking a question about philosophy.
  • Analysis: This describes a surprising and challenging question designed to test the candidate's adaptability.
• Example 6:
  • 就在小偷以为没人时，警察出其不意地出现了。
  • Pinyin: Jiù zài xiǎotōu yǐwéi méi rén shí, jǐngchá chūqíbùyì de chūxiàn le.
  • English: Just when the thief thought no one was around, the police appeared out of nowhere.
  • Analysis: Highlights the element of a sudden appearance to foil someone's plan.
• Example 7:
  • 他在会议上出其不意地提出了一个完全不同的方案。
  • Pinyin: Tā zài huìyì shàng chūqíbùyì de tíchūle yī gè wánquán bùtóng de fāng'àn.
  • English: He unexpectedly proposed a completely different plan during the meeting.
  • Analysis: This implies a bold, strategic move in a professional setting.
• Example 8:
  • 魔术师出其不意地从帽子里变出了一只鸽子。
  • Pinyin: Móshùshī chūqíbùyì de cóng màozi lǐ biàn chūle yī zhī gēzi.
  • English: The magician unexpectedly produced a dove from the hat.
  • Analysis: The essence of a magic trick is to do something `出其不意` to create wonder and amazement.
• Example 9:
  • 政府出其不意地宣布了新的环保政策。
  • Pinyin: Zhèngfǔ chūqíbùyì de xuānbùle xīn de huánbǎo zhèngcè.
  • English: The government unexpectedly announced a new environmental policy.
  • Analysis: Used to describe sudden, large-scale actions that affect the public.
• Example 10:
  • 这部电影的情节总是出其不意，你永远猜不到下一步会发生什么。
  • Pinyin: Zhè bù diànyǐng de qíngjié zǒngshì chūqíbùyì, nǐ yǒngyuǎn cāi bú dào xià yībù huì fāshēng shénme.
  • English: The plot of this movie is always unpredictable; you can never guess what will happen next.
  • Analysis: Here, it functions more like an adjective to describe something (the plot) that is intentionally designed to be surprising.

• It Requires an Agent: The most common mistake is to use 出其不意 (chūqíbùyì) for a random, unexpected event. This idiom implies a conscious agent (a person, a team, a company) performing a strategic action.
  • Incorrect: ~~今天出其不意地下雨了。~~ (Jīntiān chūqíbùyì de xiàyǔ le.) - It rained unexpectedly today.
  • Why it's wrong: The rain has no intention or strategy. It just happened.
  • Correct: 今天突然下雨了。 (Jīntiān tūrán xiàyǔ le.)
• False Friend: “Unexpected” vs. “出其不意”
  • “Unexpected” can describe any surprising event (e.g., “an unexpected result,” “an unexpected delay”).
  • 出其不意 (chūqíbùyì) specifically describes a deliberate act performed at an unexpected time to gain an advantage or create a specific effect. The surprise is manufactured, not accidental.
• Focus on Timing and Unpreparedness: The core of the idiom is not just the surprise itself, but the fact that the action was timed for a moment of opponent vulnerability or inattentiveness.

• 攻其不备 (gōng qí bù bèi): “To attack where they are unprepared.” This is the first half of the original idiom from Sun Tzu and a very close partner concept.
• 措手不及 (cuò shǒu bù jí): “To be caught unprepared.” This describes the state of the person on the receiving end of a `出其不意` action.
• 突然 (tūrán): “Suddenly; abruptly.” This is an adverb used for events that happen without warning, but it lacks the strategic intention of `出其不意`.
• 意外 (yìwài): “Accident; unexpected.” Refers to an accidental or unforeseen event, not a planned action.
• 神出鬼没 (shén chū guǐ mò): “To appear and disappear like a spirit.” Describes someone's movements as being mysterious and unpredictable, often related to `出其不意`.
• 孙子兵法 (Sūnzǐ Bīngfǎ): The Art of War. The classical text where this idiom originates. Understanding its source deepens its meaning.
• 计谋 (jìmóu): “Strategy; scheme.” This is the broader category of action to which `出其不意` belongs.