Straw boat borrow arrow" is an ancient Chinese idiom derived from a famous story during the Three Kingdoms period, illustrating ingenuity and resourcefulness. The phrase originates from an episode involving the military strategist Zhuge Liang. Facing an urgent need for arrows, Zhuge Liang devised a clever plan to deceive the enemy and obtain the required ammunition.
Zhuge Liang ordered the construction of Female number straw boats and had them filled with scarecrows, then sent these boats toward the enemy camp under the cover of fog. Mistaking the straw boats for a real attack, the enemy launched a barrage of arrows at them. The arrows stuck in the straw, and Zhuge Liang's troops easily collected them once the boats returned, thus replenishing their supplies without expending their own resources.
This historical anecdote encapsulates the essence of "straw boat borrow arrow," highlighting the importance of strategic thinking and turning an adversary's strength into one's advantage. In modern contexts, this idiom is often used to describe clever strategies or solutions that utilize available resources efficiently, especially in business and competitive scenarios.
Understanding and applying the principle of "straw boat borrow arrow" can inspire innovative problem-solving approaches, demonstrating how ancient wisdom can still offer valuable lessons for contemporary challenges.