成则为王，败则为寇

成則為王，敗則為寇
chéngzéwéiwáng,bàizéwéikòu
  1. lit. called a king if successful, called a bandit if defeated (idiom)
  2. fig. losers are always in the wrong

CEDICT

Entry Composition

1 成 chéng
  1. to succeed
  2. to finish
  3. to complete
  4. to accomplish
  5. to become
  6. to turn into
  7. to be all right
  8. OK!
  9. one tenth
2 则 zé
  1. (literary) (conjunction used to express contrast with a previous clause) but; then
  2. (bound form) standard; norm
  3. (bound form) principle
  4. (literary) to imitate; to follow
  5. classifier for written items
=3 为 wéi
  1. as (in the capacity of)
  2. to take sth as
  3. to act as
  4. to serve as
  5. to behave as
  6. to become
  7. to be
  8. to do
  9. by (in the passive voice)
=3 为 wéi variant of 为 wéi
4 王 wáng
  1. king or monarch
  2. best or strongest of its type
  3. grand
  4. great
5 败 bài
  1. to defeat
  2. to damage
  3. to lose (to an opponent)
  4. to fail
  5. to wither
6 则 zé
  1. (literary) (conjunction used to express contrast with a previous clause) but; then
  2. (bound form) standard; norm
  3. (bound form) principle
  4. (literary) to imitate; to follow
  5. classifier for written items
=7 为 wéi
  1. as (in the capacity of)
  2. to take sth as
  3. to act as
  4. to serve as
  5. to behave as
  6. to become
  7. to be
  8. to do
  9. by (in the passive voice)
=7 为 wéi variant of 为 wéi
=8 寇 kòu old variant of 寇 kòu
=8 寇 kòu old variant of 寇 kòu
=8 寇 kòu
  1. to invade
  2. to plunder
  3. bandit
  4. foe
  5. enemy