过河拆桥

Pronunciation: guò hé chāi qiáo Literal meaning: Cross river, dismantle bridge

Origin & Usage

The History of Yuan records the abolition of the examinations. Xu Youren had argued against it and lost, and was then placed at the head of the officials made to kneel and hear the edict read — he had himself entered office through those examinations. As they rose, a censor said to him: the vice-councillor may be called a man who crosses (过) the river (河) and pulls down (拆) the bridge (桥). What the image supplies beyond ordinary ingratitude is the destruction. The bridge is not left behind but dismantled, so nobody follows and the crosser cannot go back — which is why it is most often said of institutions that shut the route they came in by.

Examples

English: "After securing the promotion, she quickly abandoned the colleagues who had supported her"

Chinese: 在获得晋升后，她很快就抛弃了曾经支持她的同事