勝てば官軍、負ければ賊軍 (かてばかんぐん、まければぞくぐん): might is right

勝かてば官かん軍ぐん、負まければ賊ぞく軍ぐん

might is right

NTExpressionsHistory Politics & Law Military Kanji Vocab76 strokes

勝てば官軍負ければ賊軍

かてばかんぐん、まければぞくぐん

Expressions

might is right, history is written by the victors, winners are always right and losers are always in the wrong, if you win you are the loyalist army, if you lose you are the rebel army

proverb

Characters that make up this word

勝

か.つ・-が.ち・まさ.る・すぐ.れる・かつ…(4)

victory・win・prevail・excel

Kanji

官

bureaucrat・the government・organ

Kanji

軍

いくさ…(1)

army・force・troops・war・battle

Kanji

負

ま.ける・ま.かす・お.う…(1)

defeat・negative・-・minus・bear…(2)

Kanji

賊

burglar・rebel・traitor・robber

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Dictionary

勝かてば官かん軍ぐん、負まければ賊ぞく軍ぐん

might is right

NTExpressionsHistory Politics & Law Military Kanji Vocab76 strokes

勝てば官軍負ければ賊軍

かてばかんぐん、まければぞくぐん

Expressions

might is right, history is written by the victors, winners are always right and losers are always in the wrong, if you win you are the loyalist army, if you lose you are the rebel army

proverb

Characters that make up this word

勝

か.つ・-が.ち・まさ.る・すぐ.れる・かつ…(4)

victory・win・prevail・excel

Kanji

官

bureaucrat・the government・organ

Kanji

軍

いくさ…(1)

army・force・troops・war・battle