To be a successful merchant, one must be shrewd and cunning. It implies that business inherently requires a level of cleverness that borders on dishonesty.
This is a variant of '无商不奸' and is often used interchangeably. It reflects the same historical skepticism toward merchants, but places the emphasis on cunning as a necessary skill.
Chinese people use this to acknowledge that business competition is tough and that naivety is a liability. It signals a pragmatic, sometimes cynical acceptance of sharp practices in commerce.
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