Yan Ying advises the king of Qi to remove three generals after they disrespect him in court. Yan Ying tells the king he has a plan to use two peaches to kill the three generals without direct confrontation. His plan involves awarding the peaches based on military achievements, causing the generals to argue and kill each other. With this "borrowed sword" approach, Yan Ying is able to eliminate the threat posed by the generals through manipulation rather than force.

2. 2

3. 3

4. 4
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USD $ 120 for the whole
36 stories in this series.

5. 5
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6. 6
 三十六计之第三计 ：借刀杀人
 Strategy 3: Kill with a
Borrowed Sword
 二桃杀三士
 Killing Three Warriors With
Two Peaches

7. 7
 03借刀杀人
 二桃杀三士
 春秋时齐景公有三位勇猛无比的手
下，分别叫做公孙接，田开疆和古
治子。

8. 8
 有一天，宰相晏婴从他们面前经
过，照礼他们要起来行礼，他们却坐
着一动也不动，晏婴当场没说话，接
着便马上告诉齐景公这件事，并且劝
说：「这三个人仗着自己立下不少大
功劳，现在已经是目中无人，今天只
是对我无礼，难保改天不会对大王无
礼，我建议尽快将这三人除去，以免
后患无穷。」

9. 9
 景公向来十分敬重晏婴的话，当场点
头表示同意，不过马上露出面有难色
说「可是，怎样去除呢没有人打得过
他们;派人暗杀行刺，也不是他们的
对手。」晏婴听完说「我早料到了，
我已经想好对付他们的计谋了。」便
将「二桃杀三士」之计告诉了景公。
只有两个桃子的赏赐，让他们三人
「计功而食桃」。

10. 10
 结果三人先是争得不可开交，公孙接
先说「我的功劳最大，我空手制服野
猪及活捉老虎」便拿走一个桃子，田
开疆说「。我曾用长矛击退一整队敌
人。」也拿走一个桃;古治子气得满
脸通红说「难道我的功劳就比你们小
吗？」便抽出剑做决斗状，没想到其
他两个人竟然把桃子放回桌子，

11. 11
 说：「我们应该重荣誉怎么可以抢
功，真是太惭愧了！」说完便刎颈
而死，古治子看到也跟着刎颈，晏
子不费吹灰之力，便铲除大患。

12. 12
 三十六计 # 03 借刀杀人
 36 strategies #03
 Kill with a Borrowed Sword
 Story: 二桃杀三士 Killing Three Warriors
With Two Peaches

13. 13
 「二桃杀三士」并非因为桃子有毒而
致人死命，而是政治权术中的杀人工
具，也可以把这件事称作「借桃杀
人」。
 指以冠冕堂皇的借口，假借他人之手
来达到自己的目的，「刀」只是一种
比喻。

14. 14
Full access at price
USD $ 120 for the whole
36 stories in this series.

15. 15
 03借刀杀人
 Kill with a Borrowed Sword
 二桃杀三士
 Killing Three Warriors With Two Peaches

16. 16
 春秋时齐景公有三位勇猛无比的手
下，分别叫做公孙接，田开疆和古
治子。
 During the Spring and Autumn Period, there were three
fearless warriors in Ci by the name of Gong Sun Jie, Tian Kai
Jiang and Gu zhi Zi.

17. 17
 有一天，宰相晏婴从他们面前经过，
照礼他们要起来行礼，他们却坐着
一动也不动，
 One day, the prime minister Yan Ying walked past the three
generals. Court protocol demands that they rise and bow to
Yan Ying as a matter of courtesy. However, the three of them
just sat there without acknowledging Yan Ying’s presence.

18. 18
 晏婴当场没说话，接着便马上告诉
齐景公这件事，并且劝说：「这三
个人仗着自己立下不少大功劳，现
在已经是目中无人，
 Yan Ying said nothing on the spot. But afterwards, he told the
king of Qi about this incident and advised him, “These three
generals have become arrogant because they have
accomplished much on the battlefield.

19. 19
 今天只是对我无礼，难保改天不会
对大王无礼，我建议尽快将这三人
除去，以免后患无穷。」
 Today they only showed disrespect towards me. But who
knows whether or not they will show disrespect towards your
Majesty in the future. I suggest that they be removed as soon
as possible so as to avoid any future troubles.”

20. 20
 景公向来十分敬重晏婴的话，当场
点头表示同意，不过马上露出面有
难色说
 The king of Qi,Jing gong, had a high respect for Yan Ying and
always followed his advice. So he agreed with him, but he
added,

21. 21
 「可是，怎样去除呢没有人打得过
他们;派人暗杀行刺，也不是他们
的对手。」
 “But how? No one is strong enough to beat them. Nor is
anybody capable of assassinating them.”

22. 22
 晏婴听完说「我早料到了，我已经
想好对付他们的计谋了。」便将
「二桃杀三士」之计告诉了景公。
 Yan Ying replied, “I have already figured out how to deal with
them.” He then told Jing Gong his plan to kill three warriors
with two peaches.

23. 23
 只有两个桃子的赏赐，让他们三人
「计功而食桃」。
 Two peaches were to be awarded to the two who deserved it
the most.

24. 24
 结果三人先是争得不可开交，公孙
接先说「我的功劳最大，我空手制
服野猪及活捉老虎」便拿走一个桃
子，
 The three of them argued fiercely in the beginning. Gong Sun
Jie said first, “I caught a wild pig and a tiger alive with my
bare hands. So I deserve the most.” Then he took one peach.

25. 25
 田开疆说「。我曾用长矛击退一整
队敌人。」也拿走一个桃;古治子
气得满脸通红说「难道我的功劳就
比你们小吗？」
 Then Tian Kai Jiang said, “I defeated a whole squad of soldiers
with my spear.” Then took the other peach, too. Gu Zhi Zi
turned red with anger, “Am I less worthy than you two？”

26. 26
 便抽出剑做决斗状，没想到其他两
个人竟然把桃子放回桌子，说：
 He pulled his sword and challenged the other two to a duel.
To everybody’s surprise, the other two put the peaches back
onto the table and said,.

27. 27
 「我们应该重荣誉怎么可以抢功，
真是太惭愧了！」说完便刎颈而死，
古治子看到也跟着刎颈，
 “Honor is more important than fighting over the rewards. We
should be ashamed of ourselves.” That said, Gong Sun Jie and
Tian Kai Jiang slit their own throats with their swords and
died. Having watched this, Gu Zhi Zi, too, killed himself the
same way.

28. 28
 晏子不费吹灰之力，便铲除大患。
 Thus Yan Ying was able to remove three of them without any
efforts.

29. 29
 三十六计 # 03 借刀杀人
 36 strategies #03
 Kill with a Borrowed Sword
 Story: 二桃杀三士 Killing Three Warriors
With Two Peaches

30. 30
 「二桃杀三士」并非因为桃子有毒
而致人死命，而是政治权术中的杀
人工具，也可以把这件事称作「借
桃杀人」。
 In this story, the peach was not poisonous but was used
instead as a tool in political intrigue. The incident can
therefore be referred to as “Kill with the peaches.”

31. 31
 指以冠冕堂皇的借口，假借他人之
手来达到自己的目的，「刀」只是
一种比喻。
 Openly use another to achieve one’s purpose. “Sword” is used
here as a metaphor for the means to an end.

33. 33
Vocabulary Builder:
Find and list out the
connections among Chinese
Characters according the
features of language such as
Radical, the basic components
of Chinese characters.

34. 34
 03借刀杀人
 Kill with a Borrowed Sword
 二桃杀三士
 Killing Three Warriors With Two Peaches

35. 35
 春秋时齐景公有三位勇猛无比的手
下，分别叫做公孙接，田开疆和古
治子。
 During the Spring and Autumn Period, there were three
fearless warriors in Ci by the name of Gong Sun Jie, Tian Kai
Jiang and Gu zhi Zi.

36. 36
 勇猛
 yǒngměng
 (形) full of valour; intrepid
 勇
 yǒng
 (形) brave; valiant; courageous:
 猛
 měng
 1 (形) fierce; violent; vigorous:

37. 37
 有一天，宰相晏婴从他们面前经过，
照礼他们要起来行礼，他们却坐着
一动也不动，
 One day, the prime minister Yan Ying walked past the three
generals. Court protocol demands that they rise and bow to
Yan Ying as a matter of courtesy. However, the three of them
just sat there without acknowledging Yan Ying’s presence.

38. 38
 照礼
 按照 礼数
 按照
 ànzhào
 according to;
 in accordance with;
 in the light of;
 on the basis of:

39. 39
 礼数
 lǐshu
 courtesy; etiquette
 无礼
 wú lǐ
 Rude; no manner

40. 40
 行礼
 xínglǐ
 (动) salute
 敬礼
 jìnglǐ
 1 (动) salute; give a salute

41. 41
 晏婴当场没说话，接着便马上告诉
齐景公这件事，并且劝说：「这三
个人仗着自己立下不少大功劳，现
在已经是目中无人，
 Yan Ying said nothing on the spot. But afterwards, he told the
king of Qi about this incident and advised him, “These three
generals have become arrogant because they have
accomplished much on the battlefield.

42. 42
 当场
 Dāngchǎng
 (副) on the spot; then and there:

43. 43
 仗
 zhàng
 1 ( 动) hold (a sword)
 2 rely on; depend on:
 狗仗人势
 gǒuzhàngrénshì
 be a bully who has the backing of a powerful person

44. 44
 立功
 lìgōng
 动 render meritorious service;
 win honour; make contributions:
 立了大功
 lìle dàgōng
 have performed exceptionally meritorious services.
 功劳
 gōngláo
 (名) credit; contribution (to a cause)

45. 45
 目中无人
 mùzhōngwúrén
 consider nobody worth his notice;
 be supercilious

46. 46
 今天只是对我无礼，难保改天不会
对大王无礼，我建议尽快将这三人
除去，以免后患无穷。」
 Today they only showed disrespect towards me. But who
knows whether or not they will show disrespect towards your
Majesty in the future. I suggest that they be removed as soon
as possible so as to avoid any future troubles.”

47. 47
 无礼
 没有礼貌
 你对老年人这样无礼，像话吗?
 nǐ duì lǎonián rén zhèyàng wú lǐ, xiànghuà ma?
 Aren't you ashamed of yourself when you are so rude to old
people?

48. 48
 难保
 很难保证
 nánbǎo
 (动) one cannot say for sure:
 今天难保不下雨
 jīntiān nánbǎo bu xià yǔ
 You can't say for sure that it won't rain today

49. 49
 保证
 bǎozhèng
 1 pledge; guarantee; assure; ensure :
 2 guarantee:

50. 50
 以免
 Yǐmiǎn
 (连) in order to avoid or prevent:
 以免产生误会
 yǐmiǎn chǎnshēng wùhuì
 to avoid or prevent misunderstanding

51. 51
 后患
 hòuhuàn
 (名) future trouble:
 后患无穷
 hòuhuàn wúqióng
 a source of endless trouble

52. 52
 后患无穷
 今后的祸害及忧患没有穷尽。
 祸害
 1 (名) disaster; curse; scourge
 2 ( 动) damage; destroy

53. 53
 祸患
 Huòhuàn
 (名) disaster; calamity
 忧患
 yōuhuàn
 (名) suffering; misery
 忧
 yōu
 1 (动) worry:

54. 54
 穷尽
 qióngjìn
 (名) limit; end:

55. 55
 景公向来十分敬重晏婴的话，当场
点头表示同意，不过马上露出面有
难色说
 The king of Qi,Jing gong, had a high respect for Yan Ying and
always followed his advice. So he agreed with him, but he
added,

56. 56
 向来
 xiànglái
 (副) always; all along:
 向来如此
 xiànglái rúcǐ
 It has always been so

57. 57
 敬重
 jìngzhòng
 respect.

58. 58
 面露难色
 脸上露出难色
 露出
 lùchū
 show: reveal;
 露出原形
 lùchū yuánxíng
 reveal one's true colours

59. 59
 露出愉快的神情
 lùchū yúkuài de shénqíng
 look happy; wear a happy expresslon

60. 60
 难色
 nánsè
 ( 名) a show of reluctance or embarrassment

61. 61
 「可是，怎样去除呢没有人打得过
他们;派人暗杀行刺，也不是他们
的对手。」
 “But how? No one is strong enough to beat them. Nor is
anybody capable of assassinating them.”

62. 62
 暗杀
 ànshā
 assassinate ; assassination
 行刺
 xíngcì
 (动) assassinate

63. 63
 对手
 duìshǒu
 1 (名) opponent; adversary
 2 match; equal:
 他不是你的对手
 tā bùshì nǐ de duìshǒu
 He's no match for you.

64. 64
 晏婴听完说「我早料到了，我已经
想好对付他们的计谋了。」便将
「二桃杀三士」之计告诉了景公。
 Yan Ying replied, “I have already figured out how to deal with
them.” He then told Jing Gong his plan to kill three warriors
with two peaches.

65. 65
 料到
 liào dào
 (动) foresee ; expect:
 没料到他会来
 méi liào dào tā huì lái
 We didn't expect him to come.

66. 66
 意料
 yìliào
 (动) anticipate; expect:
 这是意料中的事
 zhè shì yìliào zhōng de shì
 That's what is to be expected.
 出乎意料
 chū hū yìliào
 unexpectedly:

67. 67
 料
 liào
 1 (动) expect; predict; anticipate:
 料事如神
 liào shì rú shén
 predict things like a prophet
 不出所料
 bù chūsuǒ liào
 as was expected

68. 68
 对付
 duìfù
 cope with.
 这事他们自己能对付.用不着我插
手.
 zhè shì tāmen zìjǐ néng duìfù. Yòng bùzháo wǒ chāshǒu.
 1 don't have to join in since they can manage it by
themselves.

69. 69
 计谋
 jìmóu
 (名) scheme; stratagem
 计
 jì
 3 idea; stratagem; plan:

70. 70
 只有两个桃子的赏赐，让他们三人
「计功而食桃」。
 Two peaches were to be awarded to the two who deserved it
the most.

71. 71
 赏赐
 shǎngcì
 grant (or bestow) a reward
 赐
 cì
 1 (动) grant
 2 (名) gift:

72. 72
 计功而食桃
 计
 jì
 1 ( 动) count; compute; calculate; estimate:
 不计其数
 bù jì qí shù
 countless; innumerable

73. 73
 计件
 jìjiàn
 (动) reckon by the piece:
 计件工资
 jìjiàn gōngzī
 piece-rate wage.
 计件工作
 jjìjiàn gōngzuò
 piecework

74. 74
 结果三人先是争得不可开交，公孙
接先说「我的功劳最大，我空手制
服野猪及活捉老虎」便拿走一个桃
子，
 The three of them argued fiercely in the beginning. Gong Sun
Jie said first, “I caught a wild pig and a tiger alive with my
bare hands. So I deserve the most.” Then he took one peach.

75. 75
 争
 Zhēng
 (动)contend; vie ; compete; strive:
 2 argue; dispute :
 这是意气之争
 Zhēng liǎn
 The dispute was a display of personal feelings
 争吵
 Zhēng chǎo
 (动) quarrel; wrangle; squabble:

76. 76
 争论不休
 zhēnglùn bùxiū
 argue endlessly: keep on arguing
 不休
 bùxiū
 (动) [used as adverbial modifier ] endlessly; ceaselessly :

77. 77
 不可开交
 bùkě kāijiāo
 [used only after 得 as its complement to indicate what one
cannot free oneself from]:
 忙得不可开交
 máng dé bùkě kāijiāo
 be up to one's eyes in work; be awfully (or terribly) busy

78. 78
 功劳
 gōngláo
 (名) credit; contribution (to a cause)

79. 79
 我空手制服野猪及活捉老虎
 空手
 Kōngshǒu
 Empty-handed
 制服
 Zhìfú
 Subdued

80. 80
 野猪
 Yězhū
 Boar
 野
 yě
 4 (形) wild; uncultivated; undomesticated:
 野兽
 yěshòu
 wild animal.

81. 81
 活捉
 huózhuō
 capture alive
 捉
 zhuō
 1 (动) catch; arrest;

82. 82
 田开疆说「。我曾用长矛击退一整
队敌人。」也拿走一个桃;古治子
气得满脸通红说「难道我的功劳就
比你们小吗？」
 Then Tian Kai Jiang said, “I defeated a whole squad of soldiers
with my spear.” Then took the other peach, too. Gu Zhi Zi
turned red with anger, “Am I less worthy than you two？”

83. 83
 矛
 Máo
 (名) spear
 矛头
 máotóu
 (名) spearhead:

84. 84
 我曾用长矛击退一整队敌人
 击
 jī
 1 ( 动) beat; hit; strike:
 2 attack; assault:
 声东击西
 shēngdōngjīxī
 make a feint to the east and attack in the west

85. 85
 退
 Tuì
 1 (动) move back; retreat:
 2 cause t o move back; withdraw; remove:
 败退
 bàituì
 retreat in defeat
 退敌
 tuì dí
 repulse the enemy

86. 86
 通红
 tōnghóng
 (形) very red; red through and through:
 她羞得满脸通红
 tā xiū dé mǎn liǎn tōnghóng
 She blushed scarlet

87. 87
 便抽出剑做决斗状，没想到其他两
个人竟然把桃子放回桌子，说：
 He pulled his sword and challenged the other two to a duel.
To everybody’s surprise, the other two put the peaches back
onto the table and said,.

88. 88
 抽
 chōu
 1 (动) take out (from in between)
 从书架上抽出一本书
 cóng shūjià shàng chōuchū yī běn shū
 take a book from the shelf

89. 89
 决斗
 Juédòu
 Duel
 决
 jué
 1 (动) decide; determine:
 斗
 dòu
 (动) 1 fight; struggle against:

90. 90
 决赛
 juésài
 (名) finals:
 决死
 juésǐ
 (形) life-and-death:
 决心
 juéxīn
 (名) determination; resolution:

91. 91
 没想到
 我没想到这事儿还是真难办
 wǒ méi xiǎngdào zhè shì er háishì zhēn nán bàn
 I didn't realize that the matter was so difficult to handle.
 万万没想到他也来了。
 wàn wàn méi xiǎngdào tā yě láile.
 I had neνer imagined of his coming

92. 92
 竟然
 jìngrán
 1 (副) unexpectedly; to one's surprise; actually:
 这样宏伟的建筑竟然只用十个月就
完成了
 zhèyàng hóngwěi de jiànzhú jìngrán zhǐ yòng shí gè yuè jiù
wánchéngle
 It is amazing that it took merely ten months to complete such
a magnificent building.

93. 93
 「我们应该重荣誉怎么可以抢功，
真是太惭愧了！」说完便刎颈而死，
古治子看到也跟着刎颈，
 “Honor is more important than fighting over the rewards. We
should be ashamed of ourselves.” That said, Gong Sun Jie and
Tian Kai Jiang slit their own throats with their swords and
died. Having watched this, Gu Zhi Zi, too, killed himself the
same way.

94. 94
 重视
 zhòngshì
 (动) attach importance to; pay attention to:
 重视这件事
 zhòngshì zhè jiàn shì
 take this matter seriously
 荣誉
 róngyù
 (名) honour; credit :

95. 95
 抢
 qiǎng
 1 (动) snatch; grab:
 2 rob; loot
 3 vie for; scramble for:
 她从我手里把信抢了过去
 tā cóng wǒ shǒu lǐ bǎ xìn qiǎngle guòqù
 She snatched the letter from me.

96. 96
 惭愧
 cánkuì
 (形) feel ashamed or abashed

97. 97
 刎
 Wěn
 (动) one's own throat
 自刎
 zìwěn
 one's own throat; commit suicide
 吻
 Wěn
 1 ( 名) lips
 3 (动 kiss

98. 98
 颈
 Jǐng
 (名) neck
 长颈鹿
 Chángjǐnglù
 (名) giraffe

99. 99
 晏子不费吹灰之力，便铲除大患。
 Thus Yan Ying was able to remove three of them without any
efforts.

100. 10
0
 不费吹灰之力
 bù fèi chuīhuīzhīlì
 with the slightest effort; effortlessly
 没有费一点力气，即使像吹灰尘这样的小力气。

101. 10
1
 铲除
 chǎnchú
 (动) root out; eradicate
 铲
 chǎn
 1 (名) shovel:

102. 10
2
 患
 huàn
 1 ( 名) trouble ; peril ; disaster:
 防患于未然
 fáng huàn yú wèirán
 take preventive measures; provide against a rainy day

103. 10
3
 「二桃杀三士」并非因为桃子有毒
而致人死命，而是政治权术中的杀
人工具，也可以把这件事称作「借
桃杀人」。
 In this story, the peach was not poisonous but was used
instead as a tool in political intrigue. The incident can
therefore be referred to as “Kill with the peaches.”

104. 10
4
 权术
 quánshù
 (名) political trickery

105. 10
5
 指以冠冕堂皇的借口，假借他人之
手来达到自己的目的，「刀」只是
一种比喻。
 Openly use another to achieve one’s purpose. “Sword” is used
here as a metaphor for the means to an end.

106. 10
6
 冠冕堂皇
 guānmiǎntánghuáng
 high-sounding
 借口
 jièkǒu
 1 (动) use as an excuse (or pretext)
 2 (名) excuse; pretext:

107. 10
7
 比喻
 bǐyù
 metaphor; analogy; figure of speech:
 打个比喻
 by way of analogy.
 这只是一个比喻的说法
 This is only a metaphor.

108. 10
8
 后患
 hòuhuàn
 (名) future trouble:
 后患无穷
 hòuhuàn wúqióng
 a source of endless trouble

109. 10
9

110. 11
0

111. 11
1
Do you understand now?

112. 11
2
 03借刀杀人
 二桃杀三士
 春秋时齐景公有三位勇猛无比的手
下，分别叫做公孙接，田开疆和古
治子。

113. 11
3
 有一天，宰相晏婴从他们面前经
过，照礼他们要起来行礼，他们却坐
着一动也不动，晏婴当场没说话，接
着便马上告诉齐景公这件事，并且劝
说：「这三个人仗着自己立下不少大
功劳，现在已经是目中无人，今天只
是对我无礼，难保改天不会对大王无
礼，我建议尽快将这三人除去，以免
后患无穷。」

114. 11
4
 景公向来十分敬重晏婴的话，当场点
头表示同意，不过马上露出面有难色
说「可是，怎样去除呢没有人打得过
他们;派人暗杀行刺，也不是他们的
对手。」晏婴听完说「我早料到了，
我已经想好对付他们的计谋了。」便
将「二桃杀三士」之计告诉了景公。
只有两个桃子的赏赐，让他们三人
「计功而食桃」。

115. 11
5
 结果三人先是争得不可开交，公孙接
先说「我的功劳最大，我空手制服野
猪及活捉老虎」便拿走一个桃子，田
开疆说「。我曾用长矛击退一整队敌
人。」也拿走一个桃;古治子气得满
脸通红说「难道我的功劳就比你们小
吗？」便抽出剑做决斗状，没想到其
他两个人竟然把桃子放回桌子，

116. 11
6
 说：「我们应该重荣誉怎么可以抢
功，真是太惭愧了！」说完便刎颈
而死，古治子看到也跟着刎颈，晏
子不费吹灰之力，便铲除大患。

117. 11
7
 三十六计 # 03 借刀杀人
 36 strategies #03
 Kill with a Borrowed Sword
 Story: 二桃杀三士 Killing Three Warriors
With Two Peaches

118. 11
8
 「二桃杀三士」并非因为桃子有毒而
致人死命，而是政治权术中的杀人工
具，也可以把这件事称作「借桃杀
人」。
 指以冠冕堂皇的借口，假借他人之手
来达到自己的目的，「刀」只是一种
比喻。

119. 11
9
 Can you retell the whole story?

120. 12
0
Full access at price
USD $ 120 for the whole
36 stories in this series.

121. 12
1

122. 12
2

123. 12
3
Acknowledgments:
The content and voice are from:
http://huayuworld.org/
Images used within this paper may be from
www.clipart.com
& Google search.
The background music:
Title: On My Way Home
Contributing artists: The 126ers
Album: Youtube Audio Library