投鼠忌器

Pronunciation: tóu shǔ jì qì Literal meaning: Throw mouse fear vessel

Origin & Usage

The idiom 投鼠忌器 (tóu shǔ jì qì) originates from a story in the Han Dynasty, as recorded in the 'Book of Han' (汉书). A wealthy man, who cherished his antique jade bowl (玉盂, yù yú), once saw a mouse (鼠, shǔ) inside it. In his anger, he wanted to throw (投, tóu) a stone to kill the mouse but hesitated, fearing he might damage the precious bowl (器, qì). This story was used by the scholar Jia Yi (贾谊) to illustrate the caution needed when dealing with sensitive matters, especially when the consequences might harm something valuable. In modern usage, this idiom describes situations where one must act carefully to avoid collateral damage, highlighting the importance of strategic thinking when facing complex challenges.

Examples

English: "In negotiations, he was cautious, knowing that aggressive tactics could backfire."

Chinese: 在谈判中，他小心翼翼，因为知道激进的策略可能会适得其反。