始はじめは処しょ女じょの如ごとく後のちは脱だっ兎との如ごとし

expression

hide your true strength, then swiftly attack the unprepared enemy; first like a virgin, later like a running hare

Proverb from Sun Tzu's Art of War. Used to describe a strategy of feigning weakness or passivity to deceive the opponent, then striking with sudden speed and force.

• 彼かれの戦せん略りゃくは「始はじめは処しょ女じょの如ごとく後のちは脱だっ兎との如ごとし」で、最さい初しょは弱よわ々よわしく見みせかけて、最さい後ごに一いっ気きに攻せめ込こんだ。

  His strategy was 'first like a virgin, later like a running hare': he pretended to be weak at first, then attacked all at once.

• 交こう渉しょうでは始はじめは処しょ女じょの如ごとく後のちは脱だっ兎との如ごとしの精せい神しんで、最さい初しょは譲じょう歩ほするふりをして、最さい後ごにこちらの条じょう件けんを押おし通とおした。

  In the negotiation, with the spirit of 'first like a virgin, later like a running hare,' he pretended to concede at first, then pushed through his own conditions at the end.