匹夫之勇

From Mencius (《孟子·梁惠王下》):

對曰：「王請無好小勇。夫撫劍疾視曰：『彼惡敢當我哉！』此匹夫之勇，敵一人者也。王請大之！ [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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对曰：「王请无好小勇。夫抚剑疾视曰：『彼恶敢当我哉！』此匹夫之勇，敌一人者也。王请大之！ [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Duì yuē: “Wáng qǐng wú hǎo xiǎo yǒng. Fú fǔjiàn jíshì yuē: ‘Bǐ wū gǎn dāng wǒ zāi!’ Cǐ pǐfū zhī yǒng, dí yīrén zhě yě. Wáng qǐng dà zhī! [Pinyin]

"I beg your Majesty," was the reply, "not to love small valour. If a man brandishes his sword, looks fiercely, and says, 'How dare he withstand me?' - this is the valour of a common man, who can be the opponent only of a single individual. I beg your Majesty to greaten it."

匹夫之勇

1. foolhardiness; courage without wisdom or prudence

   • 顏良，文醜，匹夫之勇，一戰可擒。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]
     颜良，文丑，匹夫之勇，一战可擒。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]

     From: Romance of the Three Kingdoms, circa 14^th century CE

     Yán Liáng, Wén Chǒu, pǐfūzhīyǒng, yīzhàn kěqín. [Pinyin]

     Yan Liang and Wen Chou have but foolhardiness. They can be handled with one battle.