三軍

三軍

1. (archaic) the three armies (of the left, right and center)

   • 三軍以利用也，金鼓以聲氣也。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
     三军以利用也，金鼓以声气也。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

     From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Sānjūn yǐ lì yòng yě, jīngǔ yǐ shēng qì yě. [Pinyin]

     The Three Armies make use of sharp weapons / advantages; the instruments of brass and the drums rouse the men's spirits.

   • 三軍之眾，可使必受敵而無敗者，奇正是也。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
     三军之众，可使必受敌而无败者，奇正是也。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]

     From: The Art of War, circa 5^th century BCE, translated based on Ralph D. Sawyer's version

     Sānjūn zhī zhòng, kě shǐ bì shòu dí ér wú bài zhě, qízhèng shì yě. [Pinyin]

     What enable the masses of the Three Armies to invariably withstand the enemy without being defeated are the unorthodox and the orthodox.

2. three armed services (army, navy, and air force)

• → Vietnamese: ba quân (calque)