师夷长技以制夷

"learn from the foreigners in order to gain command of them", idea advocated by Wei Yuan 魏源[Wei4 Yuan2]

old variant of 以[yi3]

old variant of 以[yi3]

abbr. for Israel 以色列[Yi3 se4 lie4]

to use / by means of / according to / in order to / because of / at (a certain date or place)

length / long / forever / always / constantly

chief / head / elder / to grow / to develop / to increase / to enhance

surname Shi

teacher / master / expert / model / army division / (old) troops / to dispatch troops

system / to control / to regulate / variant of 製|制[zhi4]

to manufacture / to make

skill

non-Han people, esp. to the East of China / barbarians / to wipe out / to exterminate / to tear down / to raze

special skill