How to Read “Attacking or retreating depends on the occasion”
Kakaru mo hiku mo ori ni yoru
Meaning of “Attacking or retreating depends on the occasion”
“Attacking or retreating depends on the occasion” means that everything has its proper timing. You should decide your actions based on the time and circumstances.
The proverb teaches that it’s not about whether moving forward or stepping back is good or bad. What matters is when you do it.
This proverb shows that the same action can produce very different results depending on the situation. Sometimes attacking boldly leads to success.
Other times, retreating carefully becomes the best choice. The key is having the judgment to read the moment correctly.
Today, people use this saying in many situations. In business, it applies to timing investments in new projects.
In relationships, it helps you know when to speak up and when to hold back. The proverb teaches the wisdom of avoiding both hasty action and missed opportunities by waiting for the right moment.
Origin and Etymology
The exact first appearance of this proverb in written records is hard to pinpoint. However, the structure of the phrase reveals an interesting background.
The combination of the contrasting verbs “kakaru” (to attack) and “hiku” (to retreat) reflects the traditional Japanese concept of “in-yo” (yin and yang).
By placing these two opposite actions side by side—moving forward and stepping back, attacking and defending—the proverb expresses all possible choices of action.
The word “ori” (occasion) carries important meaning. It doesn’t just mean “time” in general. It refers to turning points or critical moments in events.
“Ori” originally meant the joints in bamboo or wood. These are points where direction changes or strength varies. The proverb suggests that within the flow of time, there are especially important moments for judgment.
In samurai society, deciding whether to attack or retreat in battle was literally a life-or-death decision. This practical wisdom gradually became a broader life lesson and established itself as this proverb.
The deep insight here is that timing matters more than the choice itself. This understanding separates success from failure.
Usage Examples
- This project is a case of “attacking or retreating depends on the occasion,” so let’s watch market trends a bit longer before deciding
- Confessing to her is “attacking or retreating depends on the occasion,” so maybe now is the time to build trust as friends first
Universal Wisdom
The proverb “Attacking or retreating depends on the occasion” contains deep wisdom that humans have learned throughout history. It expresses the truth that the value of an action is determined not by the action itself, but by its timing.
Humans instinctively focus on “what to do.” Should we gather courage and move forward, or should we watch carefully? But our ancestors noticed something more essential.
The same action, when timed right, produces great results. When mistimed, it brings disaster.
This wisdom emerged from human emotions like impatience and anxiety. When we face uncertain situations, we can’t help but want to do something.
Humanity has repeatedly experienced the difficulty of waiting and the need for patience in reading timing.
This proverb also warns against human arrogance. It cautions against the danger of believing your choice is right and pushing forward while ignoring circumstances.
Even the best judgment means nothing if mistimed. This humility is the wisdom for surviving in a changing world.
As long as humans remain beings who live within the flow of time, the essence of this proverb will never fade, no matter how times change.
When AI Hears This
The decision to attack or retreat seems like a simple problem of choosing between two options. But from the perspective of chaos theory, this is a nonlinear system problem, just like weather forecasting.
Weather forecasts only work three days ahead because tiny measurement errors in temperature and humidity amplify over time. As mathematician Lorenz discovered in 1963, changing the initial value from 0.506 to 0.507 produced completely different weather patterns in calculations.
The “ori” (occasion) in this proverb has the same property. For example, when placing a buy order in the stock market, even a one-minute difference between 10:00 AM and 10:01 AM matters.
The psychological state of market participants, other order situations, and news timing all differ. These tiny differences trigger chain reactions, ultimately producing opposite results of great success or great failure.
What’s fascinating is that Japanese people in the Edo period intuitively understood this “sensitivity to initial conditions” without computers. Through repeated experiences in warfare and commerce, they must have observed how the same strategy produced drastically different results with slight timing changes.
They expressed with the simple phrase “depends on the occasion” what modern complexity science proves with mathematical formulas.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches modern people the courage not to rush. In an age when information flows instantly on social media and immediate responses are expected, we need the ability to stop and assess situations.
If you’re facing a big decision right now, remember this. There may be no absolute right answer among your choices.
What matters is calmly judging whether now is the optimal timing for that action.
Sometimes waiting becomes the best action. When information is lacking, when emotions run high, when circumstances aren’t ready—at such times, you need the wisdom not to force movement but to wait for the moment to ripen.
On the other hand, you also need sensitivity not to miss the moment of opportunity. Waiting for perfect preparation can mean losing your chance.
Observe situations carefully and develop the sense to feel the “now” moment.
If you master this wisdom, your life will become richer. You’ll be freed from impatience and able to make the best choices at your own pace.
That is the gift this proverb gives us.
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