成则为王,败则为寇

chéng zé wéi wáng , bài zé wéi kòu

lit. called a king if successful, called a bandit if defeated (idiom)

fig. losers are always in the wrong

成

chéng

short name for Chengdu 成都[Cheng2 du1]

则

zé

(literary) (conjunction used to express contrast with a previous clause) but; then

为

wéi

variant of 為|为[wei2]

王

wáng

king or monarch

,

,

败

bài

to defeat

则

zé

(literary) (conjunction used to express contrast with a previous clause) but; then

为

wéi

variant of 為|为[wei2]

寇

kòu

old variant of 寇[kou4]