成则为王，败则为寇

lit. called a king if successful, called a bandit if defeated (idiom) / fig. losers are always in the wrong

surname Cheng

to succeed / to finish / to complete / to accomplish / to become / to turn into / to be all right / OK! / one tenth

(conjunction used to express contrast with a previous clause) but / then / standard / norm / principle / to imitate / to follow / classifier for written items

(literary) (conjunction used to express contrast with a previous clause) but; then / (bound form) standard; norm / (bound form) principle / (literary) to imitate; to follow / classifier for written items

as (in the capacity of) / to take sth as / to act as / to serve as / to behave as / to become / to be / to do / by (in the passive voice)

because of / for / to

variant of 為|为[wei2] / as (i.e. in the capacity of) / to take sth as / to act as / to serve as / to behave as / to become / to be / to do

variant of 為|为[wei4]

variant of 為|为[wei2]

king or monarch / best or strongest of its type / grand / great

to rule / to reign over

to defeat / to damage / to lose (to an opponent) / to fail / to wither

old variant of 寇[kou4]

old variant of 寇[kou4]

to invade / to plunder / bandit / foe / enemy