Tiếng Việt · Proverb Attested

thuận thì tu văn đức, nghịch tắc thắng võ công

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In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

In peace, cultivate the civil; against defiance, prevail by arms — the ruler's two hands.

Literally: compliant: refine civil virtue; rebellious: triumph by martial merit

Sources & notes

Discovered via Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897; public domain, via vi.wikisource); retrieved 2026-08-01. Source: source ↗ Attested in Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897). Definition is an original editorial synthesis, not copied from the source.

Common questions

What does “thuận thì tu văn đức, nghịch tắc thắng võ công” mean?

In peace, cultivate the civil; against defiance, prevail by arms — the ruler's two hands. Literally: compliant: refine civil virtue; rebellious: triumph by martial merit

Is “thuận thì tu văn đức, nghịch tắc thắng võ công” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.

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