Chinese Idiom: 打草惊蛇 (Da Cao Jing She)
English Translation: Scare the Snake by Beating the Grass
pīn yīn: dǎ cǎo jīng shé
Idiom Meaning: This idiom means that a careless action or slip-up has inadvertently alerted someone to a situation, causing them to be cautious or take precautions. It implies that an action has caused someone to become aware of a potential threat or danger.
Historical Source: 《酉阳杂俎》 (Youyang Zazu), a collection of anecdotes and folklore compiled by the Tang Dynasty scholar Duan Chengshi.
Idiom Story:
During the Tang Dynasty, there was a corrupt county magistrate named Wang Lu in Tangshu (now Anhui Province). He was known for his debauchery and acceptance of bribes. One day, someone submitted a petition accusing one of Wang Lu’s clerks of corruption and misconduct. The petition detailed the clerk’s wrongdoings, which were similar to Wang Lu’s own corrupt practices.
Wang Lu, upon reading the petition, was filled with fear and anxiety. He was worried that his own illegal activities might be exposed. In his panic, he failed to respond to the petition properly. Instead, he wrote a note on the petition, which read: “汝虽打草，吾已蛇惊” (Though you have only beaten the grass, I am already frightened like a snake). This meant that even though the petitioner had only stirred up minor trouble, Wang Lu had already become alarmed and was on high alert.
The phrase “打草惊蛇” (Scare the Snake by Beating the Grass) has since become a common idiom, used to describe situations where an action, often inadvertent, alerts someone to a problem or danger, leading them to take preventive measures.
