諺語 · a single proverb
打草驚蛇
Simplified: 打草惊蛇
What does 打草驚蛇 (dǎ cǎo jīng shé) mean?
打草驚蛇 (dǎ cǎo jīng shé) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "beat the grass and startle the snake." In use it means: Acting carelessly alerts the real target; an unintended warning that lets the danger escape or prepare. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Wood note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Snake.
Literally: "beat the grass and startle the snake."
The reading
You wanted the snake, but you hit the grass first and the snake heard you coming. Precision matters. The first move in any plan is the one that sets the tone. Start with the grass and you have told the snake your intentions.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Thirty-Six Stratagems 三十六計; Tang dynasty origin
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Courage & Decisive Action, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Snake, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 打草驚蛇 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 打草驚蛇 (dǎ cǎo jīng shé) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Thirty-Six Stratagems 三十六計; Tang dynasty origin. It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 打草驚蛇?
In Mandarin it is dǎ cǎo jīng shé. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 打草驚蛇 aloud in Mandarin.