諺語 · a single proverb
前門拒虎，後門進狼
Simplified: 前门拒虎，后门进狼
What does 前門拒虎，後門進狼 (qián mén jù hǔ, hòu mén jìn láng) mean?
前門拒虎，後門進狼 (qián mén jù hǔ, hòu mén jìn láng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "Refuse the tiger at the front door, and the wolf enters through the back." In use it means: Solving one problem only to create or invite another, often worse. A warning against short-sighted solutions that leave you exposed elsewhere. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Fire note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Tiger.
Literally: "Refuse the tiger at the front door, and the wolf enters through the back.."
The reading
Every defence has a cost. When you pour all your attention into the threat you can see, the threat you cannot see walks in freely. The house has more than one door. Wisdom is not choosing which danger to face. It is knowing that danger never arrives alone and planning for the second one before the first one is gone.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Chinese folk proverb (民间谚语), also found in Ming-Qing literature
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 Adversity & Resilience, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Tiger, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 前門拒虎，後門進狼 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 前門拒虎，後門進狼 (qián mén jù hǔ, hòu mén jìn láng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Chinese folk proverb (民间谚语), also found in Ming-Qing literature. 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 前門拒虎，後門進狼?
In Mandarin it is qián mén jù hǔ, hòu mén jìn láng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 前門拒虎，後門進狼 aloud in Mandarin.