expression, godan verb (-tsu)
lose a battle to win the war; incur damage to inflict greater damage
Idiomatic expression meaning to accept a small loss or sacrifice in order to deal a decisive blow to an opponent. Often used in strategic or competitive contexts.
He used a strategy of losing a battle to win the war, deliberately giving ground to defeat the opponent's main force.
交渉では、小さな譲歩をして相手の要求の核心を崩す、肉を切らせて骨を断つやり方が有効なこともある。
In negotiations, the approach of making a small concession to undermine the core of the other party's demands—losing a battle to win the war—can sometimes be effective.