When A General Becomes Arrogant And Soldiers Become Lazy After Winning A Battle, They Will Be Defeated: Japanese Proverb Meaning

How to Read “When a general becomes arrogant and soldiers become lazy after winning a battle, they will be defeated”

Tatakai kachite shō ogori sotsu okotaru mono wa yabururu

Meaning of “When a general becomes arrogant and soldiers become lazy after winning a battle, they will be defeated”

This proverb means that after winning a battle, if the general becomes arrogant and the soldiers become lazy, they will surely lose the next battle.

The moment of victory is actually the most dangerous time. Letting your guard down right after success leads to destruction.

This saying is used to warn people about their attitude after achieving something. It applies when someone passes an exam, completes a successful project, or wins a competition.

People often think “I can relax now” and let their guard down. This proverb serves as a warning against that mindset.

The reason this expression matters is that humans naturally tend to relax after victory. Success gives us confidence, but it also breeds complacency.

Even today, we see companies fail the year after strong performance. Championship teams often struggle the following season. These examples never stop appearing.

This proverb teaches a timeless truth. After success, you need even more effort and humility than before.

Origin and Etymology

This proverb likely comes from ancient Chinese military strategy texts. Books like “The Art of War” and “Wuzi” repeatedly warn against carelessness after victory.

Looking at the structure of the phrase, “shō” means general or commander. “Sotsu” means common soldiers.

“Ogori” means becoming arrogant. “Okotaru” means becoming lazy. This contrasting structure is striking.

It warns about the danger when an entire organization relaxes, from top to bottom.

Ancient Chinese records document many cases where arrogance after victory led to the next defeat.

In the excitement of victory, generals overestimate their own abilities. Soldiers release their tension from battle and let their guard down.

Ancient military strategists understood that this natural human psychology becomes the most dangerous trap.

This teaching came to Japan through Chinese classical texts. It was valued as essential knowledge for samurai warriors.

Warlords during Japan’s Warring States period took this lesson to heart. The spirit here connects with another Japanese proverb about tightening your helmet straps after winning.

Usage Examples

• That team won the championship last year, but “when a general becomes arrogant and soldiers become lazy after winning a battle, they will be defeated” – this year they fell to last place
• If we don’t stay focused after the project succeeds, we’ll end up proving “when a general becomes arrogant and soldiers become lazy after winning a battle, they will be defeated”

Universal Wisdom

Humans have a strange quality. We can work desperately hard during difficult times. But the moment things go well, we relax.

This proverb sharply points out this essential human nature.

Why do people become arrogant and lazy after victory? Success creates a feeling of “everything’s fine now.”

A sense of crisis is the greatest motivator for growth. The moment that crisis feeling disappears, people lose their drive to improve.

Victory also creates the illusion that “I am superior.” In reality, luck and help from others played a role. But people convince themselves it was all their own ability.

This proverb has been passed down for hundreds of years. That’s because this human weakness never changes across time.

On ancient battlefields, in modern business, in sports – the same pattern repeats. Those who succeed then fail next. Humanity has witnessed this tragic cycle countless times.

Truly strong people remain humble even after winning. They don’t take success for granted. They constantly prepare for the next challenge.

This proverb teaches us what real strength means. The moment of victory is actually the greatest test.

When AI Hears This

From a physics perspective, a victorious organization exists in a “low entropy state.” Everyone is aligned toward the goal, moving efficiently in an orderly state.

But according to the second law of thermodynamics, all systems naturally move toward disorder if left alone. Just as rooms naturally become messy, organizations naturally fall apart.

The key point is that maintaining order absolutely requires “external energy input.” Just as keeping a room clean requires the effort of cleaning, organizational order is supported by continuous effort.

Arrogance and laziness stop this energy input. At the moment of victory, the organization is most orderly. But simultaneously, the pressure toward entropy increase is also at its maximum.

When tension releases, the organization rushes toward collapse according to physical laws.

What’s interesting is that collapse speed is proportional to “the height of order.” Like stacked blocks that fall more easily when built higher, organizations that achieve great victory collapse more rapidly from complacency.

From an entropy perspective, victory is “an unstable state with the highest maintenance cost.” Arrogance is the act of refusing to pay that cost.

Therefore defeat arrives as a physical inevitability.

Lessons for Today

This proverb teaches modern people that the moment of success is the most important time. When you pass an exam, achieve a goal, or receive recognition – that’s when you should think about the next step.

In modern society, change happens fast. Yesterday’s success can easily lead to tomorrow’s failure.

Technology evolves, competitors learn, and environments change. Standing still is actually the same as moving backward.

Specifically, develop the habit of calmly analyzing “why did this work?” after achieving something. Distinguish between the parts that were luck and the parts that were skill.

Then find your next challenge. Enjoy satisfaction for a moment, then immediately look toward your next goal.

If you’re succeeding at something right now, that’s wonderful. But don’t get drunk on that success. Use it as a stepping stone to the next level.

Maintaining humility and the drive to improve is true strength. Victory is not an ending. It’s a new beginning.