打草惊蛇dǎ cǎo jīng shéto inadvertently alert an enemy

1. 1.

   to inadvertently alert an enemyidiom

Figurative meaning

To inadvertently alert an enemy.

Literal meaning

Beat the grass to scare the snake.

• 打to hit; to strike
• 草grass
• 惊to startle
• 蛇snake

No attested origin story

打草惊蛇 can follow 怕 or 不要 to explain why someone waits before acting.

1. HSK 3

   我们先不说，怕打草惊蛇。

   Wǒmen xiān bù shuō, pà dǎ cǎo jīng shé.

   Let's not say anything yet. We don't want to tip them off.

2. HSK 5

   警察没有马上行动，怕打草惊蛇。

   Jǐngchá méiyǒu mǎshàng xíngdòng, pà dǎ cǎo jīng shé.

   The police didn't act right away because they didn't want to alert the suspect.

1. 
   Speaker A:

   我知道是谁拿了我的东西。

   Wǒ zhīdào shì shéi ná le wǒ de dōngxi.

   I know who took my things.

2. 
   Speaker B:

   你要马上去问他吗？

   Nǐ yào mǎshàng qù wèn tā ma?

   Are you going to ask him right away?

3. 
   Speaker A:

   先不问，怕打草惊蛇。

   Xiān bú wèn, pà dǎ cǎo jīng shé.

   Not yet. I don't want to tip him off.

4. 
   Speaker B:

   好，那我们先等一等。

   Hǎo, nà wǒmen xiān děng yi děng.

   OK, then let's wait a bit first.

1. 1.What does 打草惊蛇 mean?

   ATo inadvertently alert an enemyBTo work very hardCTo be afraid of snakes
2. 2.Which sentence uses 打草惊蛇 correctly?

   A警察没有马上行动，怕打草惊蛇。B他打草惊蛇地吃饭。C今天天气很打草惊蛇。
3. 3.Which word fits best? 先别说，怕____。 (Don't say anything yet; we don't want to tip them off.)

   A一举两得B打草惊蛇C人山人海

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Related idioms

• 惊弓之鸟jīng gōng zhī niǎosb who frightens easily, due to past experiencesNot on the HSK 3.0 syllabus
• 杯弓蛇影bēi gōng shé yǐngunnecessary suspicionsNot on the HSK 3.0 syllabus
• 草船借箭cǎo chuán jiè jiànto use others' manpower and resources for one's own endsNot on the HSK 3.0 syllabus
• 画蛇添足huà shé tiān zúto ruin the effect by adding something superfluousHSK 7–9
• 触目惊心chù mù jīng xīnlit. shocks the eye, astonishes the heart (idiom); shockingHSK 7–9
• 一年一度yī nián yī dù(idiom) annual; once a yearNot on the HSK 3.0 syllabus

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