打草惊蛇

Pronunciation: dǎ cǎo jīng shé Literal meaning: Hit grass startle snake

Origin & Usage

The idiom 打草惊蛇 (dǎ cǎo jīng shé) originates from a story during the Southern Tang dynasty. A county magistrate named Wang Lu was known for his corrupt practices. When a group of citizens attempted to report the misconduct of his subordinate, Wang Lu realized that their actions could expose his own wrongdoings. He remarked, '汝虽打草，吾已蛇惊,' meaning 'Though you hit the grass, I am already alarmed like a snake.' The idiom (打, hit) (草, grass) (惊, startle) (蛇, snake) illustrates the idea of inadvertently alerting an adversary through careless actions. In modern usage, it serves as a caution against actions that might prematurely alert others, often used in strategic contexts to emphasize the importance of discretion.

Examples

English: "By making a sudden move, he revealed his opponent's hidden plans."

Chinese: 通过突然的举动，他揭示了对手隐藏的计划。