Top 20 Art of War Quotes (2025 Update)

1. “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”

— Sun Tzu

Also featured in: Strategy Quotes, Fighting Quotes, Wise Quotes, Victory Quotes

2. “Every battle is won before it is fought.”

— Sun Tzu

Also featured in: Interesting Quotes, Strategy Quotes, Winning Quotes, Preparation Quotes

3. “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

— Sun Tzu

Also featured in: Strategy Quotes, Meaningful Quotes, Winning Quotes, Warrior Quotes

4. “Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.”

— Sun Tzu

Also featured in: Famous Quotes, Strategy Quotes, Military Quotes, Fighting Quotes

5. “All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.”

— Sun Tzu

Also featured in: Famous Quotes, Strategy Quotes, Warrior Quotes, Fighting Quotes

6. “So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong, and strike at what is weak.”

— Sun Tzu

Also featured in: Strategy Quotes, Warrior Quotes, Fighting Quotes

7. “To win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.”

— Sun Tzu

Also featured in: Strategy Quotes, Fighting Quotes

8. “The art of war is of vital importance to the State. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected.”

— Sun Tzu

Also featured in: Strategy Quotes, Military Quotes, Fighting Quotes, Quotes About War

9. “When strong, avoid them. If of high morale, depress them. Seem humble to fill them with conceit. If at ease, exhaust them. If united, separate them. Attack their weaknesses. Emerge to their surprise.”

— Sun Tzu

Also featured in: Strategy Quotes, Military Quotes, Fighting Quotes, Quotes About War

10. “Move not unless you see an advantage; use not your troops unless there is something to be gained; fight not unless the position is critical.”

— Sun Tzu

Also featured in: Strategy Quotes, Warrior Quotes, Military Quotes, Quotes About War

11. “Know thy self, know thy enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories.”

— Sun Tzu

Also featured in: Strategy Quotes, Military Quotes, Fighting Quotes

12. “Humble words and increased preparations are signs that the enemy is about to advance. Violent language and driving forward as if to the attack are signs that he will retreat.”

— Sun Tzu

Also featured in: Strategy Quotes, Military Quotes, Quotes About War

13. “Rely not on the likelihood of the enemy’s not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him.”

— Sun Tzu

Also featured in: Strategy Quotes, Warrior Quotes, Military Quotes, Competition Quotes

14. “Know the enemy, know yourself; your victory will never be endangered. Know the ground, know the weather; your victory will then be total.”

— Sun Tzu

Also featured in: Strategy Quotes, Warrior Quotes, Military Quotes, Victory Quotes

15. “To Subdue an enemy without fighting is the greatest of skills.”

— Sun Tzu

Also featured in: Strategy Quotes, Warrior Quotes, Victory Quotes, Quotes About War

16. “So the principles of warfare are: Do not depend on the enemy not coming, but depend on our readiness against him. Do not depend on the enemy not attacking, but depend on our position that cannot be attacked.”

— Sun Tzu

Also featured in: Strategy Quotes, Warrior Quotes, Preparation Quotes, Competition Quotes

17. “Go into emptiness, strike voids, bypass what he defends, hit him where he does not expect you.”

— Sun Tzu

Also featured in: Military Quotes, Martial Arts Quotes

18. “An army marches on its stomach.”

— Napoleon

Also featured in: Warrior Quotes

19. “A sovereign of high character and intelligence must be able to know the right man, should place the responsibility on him, and expect results.”

— Sun Tzu

20. “A prisoner of war is a man who tries to kill you and fails, and then asks you not to kill him.”

— Winston Churchill

21. “A Spartan woman, as she handed her son his shield, exhorted him saying, “As a warrior of Sparta come back with your shield or on it.””

— Plutarch

Also featured in: Warrior Quotes

22. “A war is not lost until you consider it lost.”

— Erich von Manstein