合がっ従しょう連れん衡こう

noun

alliance of the Six Kingdoms against Qin, and of individual kingdoms with Qin

Historical term referring to the Warring States period diplomatic strategies: the vertical (north-south) alliance of the Six Kingdoms against Qin, and the horizontal (east-west) alliance of individual kingdoms with Qin.

See also: 合従 · 連衡

• 合がっ従しょう連れん衡こうは、中ちゅう国ごくの戦せん国ごく時じ代だいにおける外がい交こう戦せん略りゃくの一ひとつである。

  合従連衡 is one of the diplomatic strategies of China's Warring States period.

noun

making and breaking alliances for one's own benefit; resorting to alliances as a diplomatic expedient

Extended figurative use: the tactic of opportunistically forming or dissolving alliances depending on the situation, often with a negative connotation of self-serving diplomacy.

• 彼かれの外がい交こう政せい策さくは合がっ従しょう連れん衡こうそのものだ。

  His foreign policy is exactly the tactic of making and breaking alliances.

• 中ちゅう小しょう企き業ぎょうは合がっ従しょう連れん衡こうで生いき残のこりを図はかっている。

  Small and medium-sized enterprises are trying to survive through opportunistic alliances.