合従連衡|がっしょうれんこうgasshourenkou[0]heiban (flat)

1. nounalliance (of the Six Kingdoms against the Qin dynasty, and of individual Kingdoms with the Qin dynasty)
2. noun(tactic of) making and breaking alliances (to benefit oneself as the occasion demands); resorting to alliances as a diplomatic expedient

• Related提携ていけいNeutralCooperation or partnership between companies, organizations or individuals, as in 「業務提携」; unlike 「合従連衡」, it lacks the sense of alliances shifting with the times.
• Related同盟どうめいNeutralAn alliance or the relationship between allies, as in 「日英同盟」; 「合従連衡」 stresses alliances constantly formed and broken as circumstances change.
• Related連盟れんめいNeutralA league or federation of groups with a common purpose, as in 「国際連盟」; unlike 「合従連衡」, it denotes the league itself rather than a strategy of shifting alliances.
• RelatedアライアンスNeutralLoanword for corporate or airline alliances; a business-leaning term, while 「合従連衡」 covers alliances made and broken as circumstances demand.
• Related結盟けつめいWrittenConcluding an alliance or pact; leans toward written/formal prose and is not much used.

「合従連衡」 is for alliances formed and broken as circumstances shift; rooted in Warring States diplomacy, it now mostly describes corporate realignments, as in 「業界の合従連衡」. Plain cooperation is 「提携」, an alliance 「同盟」, a business tie-up 「アライアンス」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. (歴史れきし)中国ちゅうごくの戦国せんごく時代じだいにおける、縦横家じゅうおうか蘇秦そしんの唱となえた「合従がっしょう」策さくと、同おなじく縦横家じゅうおうかである張儀ちょうぎが唱となえた「連衡れんこう」策さく。
2. 転てんじて、外交がいこうにおける他国たこくとの同盟どうめい策さく。
3. (比喩ひゆ)多数たすうの当事者とうじしゃ間かんにおいて、目的もくてきを達成たっせいするための協力きょうりょく関係かんけい及およびその操作そうさ。