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打蛇打七寸

Dǎ shé dǎ qī cùn
Strike the snake at its vital spot.

Hit snake hit seven inches

To solve a problem effectively, you must target the critical...

To solve a problem effectively, you must target the critical point—the weakness or core issue—rather than wasting effort on peripheral matters. A snake's vital organ is about seven inches from its head.

This reflects the Chinese strategic tradition of finding the 'key link' (关键) in any situation, similar to Sun Tzu's emphasis on attacking the enemy's strategy rather than his army.

Someone might say this when advising a colleague to address the root cause of a recurring problem instead of treating symptoms, or when a negotiator identifies the decisive leverage point.

Chinese people value efficiency and strategic thinking. This saying encapsulates the wisdom that effort without precision is wasted—it signals sophistication in problem-solving and an understanding that every situation has a decisive point.

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