借东风

借东风

Literally means:

borrow the east wind

Actually means:

take advantage of favorable conditions

This phrase derives from a story in the classical Chinese novel The Three Kingdoms. In the story, the resourceful mastermind Zhu Ge Liang took advantage of the east wind to assist General Zhou Yu to overwhelm his adversary a warlord named Cao Cao by burning up the warships of Cao.

It figuratively means accomplishing a task by taking advantage of favorable conditions or opportunities. Commendatory.

来自《三国演义》。说诸葛亮借来东风，配合周瑜火攻曹操的战船，大败曹操。

指借助有利的条件或机会，成功地做某事。具有褒义色彩。