諺語 · a single proverb
狡兔三窟
What does 狡兔三窟 (jiǎo tù sān kū) mean?
狡兔三窟 (jiǎo tù sān kū) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "the cunning rabbit has three burrows." In use it means: A wise person always has backup plans and multiple options for safety. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Earth note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rabbit.
Literally: "the cunning rabbit has three burrows."
The reading
One exit is a trap with a view. Two exits is caution. Three exits is freedom. The rabbit that digs three holes sleeps better than the one that digs one hole deeper. Depth is not safety. Options are.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Strategies of the Warring States 戰國策, Qi Ce 齊策, Feng Xuan 馮諼
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 Wisdom & Learning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rabbit, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 狡兔三窟 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 狡兔三窟 (jiǎo tù sān kū) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Strategies of the Warring States 戰國策, Qi Ce 齊策, Feng Xuan 馮諼. 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 狡兔三窟?
In Mandarin it is jiǎo tù sān kū. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 狡兔三窟 aloud in Mandarin.