| 谋士 | móu shì | skilled manipulator / tactician / strategist / advisor / counsellor |   |
| 战略家 | zhàn lu:è jiā | a strategist | |
| 策士 | cè shì | strategist / counsellor on military strategy | |
| 孙子 | Sūn zǐ | Sun Tzu, also known as Sun Wu 孫武|孙武[Sun1 Wu3] (c. 500 BC, dates of birth and death uncertain), general, strategist and philosopher of the Spring and Autumn Period (700-475 BC), believed to be the author of the “Art of War&rdquo / 孫子兵法|孙子兵法[Sun1 zi3 Bing1 fa3], one of the Seven Military Classics of ancient China 武經七書|武经七书[Wu3 jing1 Qi1 shu1] | |
| 兵家 | bīng jiā | military strategist in ancient China / military commander / soldier | |
| 纸上谈兵 | zhǐ shàng tán bīng | lit. military tactics on paper (idiom) / fig. theoretical discussion that is worse than useless in practice / armchair strategist / idle theorizing / cf Zhao Kuo 趙括|赵括[Zhao4 Kuo4] leading an army of 400,000 to total annihilation at battle of Changping 長平之戰|长平之战[Chang2 ping2 zhi1 Zhan4] in 260 BC | |
| 鲁肃 | Lǔ Sù | Lu Su or Lu Zijing 魯子敬|鲁子敬 / (172-217), statesman, diplomat and strategist of Eastern Wu 東吳|东吴 | |
| 孙武 | Sūn Wǔ | Sun Wu, also known as Sun Tzu 孫子|孙子[Sun1 zi3] (c. 500 BC, dates of birth and death uncertain), general, strategist and philosopher of the Spring and Autumn Period (700-475 BC), believed to be the author of the “Art of War&rdquo / 孫子兵法|孙子兵法[Sun1 zi3 Bing1 fa3], one of the Seven Military Classics of ancient China 武經七書|武经七书[Wu3 jing1 Qi1 shu1] | |
| 孙膑 | Sūn Bìn | Sun Bin (-316 BC), political strategist of the School of Diplomacy 縱橫家|纵横家[Zong4 heng2 jia1] during the Warring States Period (425-221 BC) | |
| 苏秦 | Sū Qín | Su Qin (340-284 BC), political strategist of the School of Diplomacy 縱橫家|纵横家[Zong4 heng2 jia1] during the Warring States Period (475-220 BC) | |
| 吴下阿蒙 | Wú xià ā Méng | General Lü / Meng 呂蒙|吕蒙 / of the southern state of Wu (idiom) / model of self-improvement by diligent study (from unlettered soldier to top strategist of Wu) | |
| 伯里克利 | Bó lǐ kè lì | Pericles (c. 495-429 BC), Athenian strategist and politician before and at the start of the Peloponnesian war | |
| 司马穰苴 | Sī mǎ Ráng jū | Sima Rangju (c. 800 BC, dates of birth and death unknown), military strategist of the Qi State 齊國|齐国[Qi2 guo2] and author of “Methods of Sima&rdquo / 司馬法|司马法[Si1 ma3 Fa3], one of the Seven Military Classics of ancient China 武經七書|武经七书[Wu3 jing1 Qi1 shu1] | |
| 培里克利斯 | Péi lǐ kè lì sī | Pericles (c. 495-429 BC), Athenian strategist and politician before and at the start of the Peloponnesian war / also written 伯里克利[Bo2 li3 ke4 li4] | |
| 孙武子 | Sūn Wǔ zǐ | Sun Wu, famous general, strategist and Legalist philosopher, contemporary with Confucius 孔子[Kong3 zi3] (551-479 BC), author of "The Art of War" 孫子兵法|孙子兵法[Sun1 zi3 Bing1 fa3], also known as Sun Tzu 孫子|孙子[Sun1 zi3] | |
| 张仪 | Zhāng Yí | Zhang Yi (-309 BC), political strategist of the School of Diplomacy 縱橫家|纵横家[Zong4 heng2 jia1] during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC) | |
| 荀彧 | Xún Yù | Xun Yu (163-212), brilliant strategist, advisor of Cao Cao in Three Kingdoms | |
| 鲁子敬 | Lǔ Zǐ jìng | Lu Zijing or Lu Su 魯肅|鲁肃 / (172-217), statesman, diplomat and strategist of Eastern Wu 東吳|东吴 | |
| 庞涓 | Páng Juān | Pang Juan (-342 BC), military leader and political strategist of the School of Diplomacy 縱橫家|纵横家[Zong4 heng2 jia1] during the Warring States Period (425-221 BC) | |
| 萧何 | Xiāo Hé | Xiao He (-193 BC), famous strategist and chancellor, fought on Liu Bang's 劉邦|刘邦[Liu2 Bang1] side during the Chu-Han Contention 楚漢戰爭|楚汉战争[Chu3 Han4 Zhan4 zheng1] | |
| 纸上谈兵的战略家 | | armchair strategist | |
