先礼后兵
Traditional form:
先禮後兵
Pinyin (reading):
xiānlǐhòubīng
Definitions:
- lit. peaceful measures before using force (idiom)
- fig. diplomacy before violence; jaw-jaw is better than war-war
Characters:
- 先 - first, former, previous
- 礼 - courtesy, manners, social customs
- 后 - after; behind, rear; descendants
- 兵 - soldier; troops, an army; warlike
Traditional characters: