193Japanese proverb ことわざ
逃げるが勝ち
にげるがかちNigeru ga kachi
“Knowing when to withdraw is winning.”
Word for wordFleeing is a victory.
The meaning
Not every fight deserves to be fought. Withdrawing from a battle lost in advance preserves strength for the ones that matter — not cowardice, but discernment.
At the origin
A traditional proverb, cousin of "to lose is to win".
The characters
- 逃げる nigeruto flee
- が ga(subject)
- 勝ち
がParticleMarks the subject: the one who does, or what is.
In practice
Identify the struggle that drains you for nothing, and leave it without shame.