用己所长 攻敌所短？

[chavalit]

I have a question about this phrase: 用己所长 攻敌所短. I gather it means to attack the enemy's weakness. But I wonder

- What is the function of 所 here. My grammar is not good.

- How does one translate 用己所长. It doesn't make much sense although I can see it's the opposite of 攻敌所短.

- I did some research using google and it seems the phrase comes from this person 冯婉贞 (http://baike.baidu.com/view/45434.htm). But I can' find any other info in English and my Chinese is not good enough to read the page without spending a lot of effort. Could anyone give me some background?

[YangDizi]

所 + [POP=dòngcí: verb]动词[/POP] here means "that which is + verb"; the structure forms a noun from the action/state indicated by the verb:

• 所长: that in which one is adept (strengths);
  

• 所短: that in which one is weak (weaknesses, shortcomings).
  

In modern Chinese 所 + 动词 is often followed by 的 (所 + 动词 + 的) to create a noun. The structure tends to be used in more formal writing although one does occasionally hear it in less formal spoken language too.

[POP=lìjù: example sentence]例句[/POP]：我不知道她所说的是真的还是假的。(I don't know if what she said is true or false.).

Common expressions using this structure are:

• [POP=zhòng: everybody]众[/POP][POP=suǒ: that which]所[/POP][POP=zhōu: all (=都)]周[/POP][POP=zhī: to know]知[/POP]，……: "that which everybody knows"; i.e. "everybody knows ...", "it is universally recognised that ..."
  

• [POP=jù: according to]据[/POP][POP=wǒ: I]我[/POP][POP=suǒ: that which]所[/POP][POP=zhī: to know]知[/POP]:，……: "according to what I know, ...", "as far as I know, ..."
  

[vinegrower]

所: in this is a particle. Show that 长 is focal point.

Omit it the sentence' maining unchange. But no Chinese omit it, because that will be lose its beautiful rhythm. In Classical Chinese, many poetry and article written by 4 character (四言)-- The Book of Odes, 朱子家训, etc.

This sentence' construction is 对仗(dualization). In Classic Chinese, dualization must be strict with 平仄(in modern Chinese, 1,2sheng is 平，3,4 is 仄) of pronunciation and 字义的虚实(the part of the speech of the word).

The article you maintioned is written in Classical Chinese: In Qing Dynasty, in a village called 谢庄(xie4zhuang1)near Beijing, there was a beautiful young girl named feng2wan3zhen1(冯婉贞) whose traditional Chinese combat exercises is very good. One day, about a hundred soul of British and France invading amy to invade the village. The villagers routed the enemy. All in a cheerful mood but 冯婉贞. She said: 'The powerful enemy will be come soon. Ashes would be all if they shoot our village by cannon.　The enemies are good at(长) use of cannon and gun, but don't know 武术(Traditional Chinese combat exercises), we are opposites. So distance battle is advange for them, and a close battle is advange for us. Why not 用己所长 攻敌所短? If we stay here, we will be all reduce to ashes. Maybe we suvive from disaster if we attack them initiative "

So, 冯婉贞 called out all of the teenages whom are good at traditional Chinese combat exercises. They --wore in black and bright broadsord in hand-- laid an ambush in a very dense woods for the enemy. Sure enough, enemy come with their cannon before too long.冯婉贞 and her companies dushed out and attrack the enemies unexpected. The enemies retreated in defeat. 冯婉贞 shouted: 'Don't let them go! they want to leave us and fire us!" So, the companies intercepted the enemies with all their strength...When the sun setted, they enemies left their cannon and run off.

Thanks if you point out the mistake of my English. I am a Chinese ^_^

[vinegrower]

所: in this is a particle. Show that 长 is focal point.

Omit it the sentence' maining unchange. But no Chinese omit it, because that will be lose its beautiful rhythm. In Classical Chinese, many poetry and article written by 4 character (四言)-- The Book of Odes, 朱子家训, etc.

This sentence' construction is 对仗(dualization). In Classic Chinese, dualization must be strict with 平仄(in modern Chinese, 1,2sheng is 平，3,4 is 仄) of pronunciation and 字义的虚实(the part of the speech of the word).

The article you maintioned is written in Classical Chinese: In Qing Dynasty, in a village called 谢庄(xie4zhuang1)near Beijing, there was a beautiful young girl named feng2wan3zhen1(冯婉贞) whose traditional Chinese combat exercises is very good. One day, about a hundred soul of British and France invading amy to invade the village. The villagers routed the enemy. All in a cheerful mood but 冯婉贞. She said: 'The powerful enemy will be come soon. Ashes would be all if they shoot our village by cannon.　The enemies are good at(长) use of cannon and gun, but don't know 武术(Traditional Chinese combat exercises), we are opposites. So distance battle is advange for them, and a close battle is advange for us. Why not 用己所长 攻敌所短? If we stay here, we will be all reduce to ashes. Maybe we suvive from disaster if we attack them initiative "

So, 冯婉贞 called out all of the teenages whom are good at traditional Chinese combat exercises. They --wore in black and bright broadsord in hand-- laid an ambush in a very dense woods for the enemy. Sure enough, enemy come with their cannon before too long.冯婉贞 and her companies dushed out and attrack the enemies unexpected. The enemies retreated in defeat. 冯婉贞 shouted: 'Don't let them go! they want to leave us and fire us!" So, the companies intercepted the enemies with all their strength...When the sun setted, they enemies left their cannon and run off.

Thanks if you point out the mistake of my English. I am a Chinese ^_^