諺語 · a single proverb
螳螂捕蟬，黃雀在後
Simplified: 螳螂捕蝉，黄雀在后
What does 螳螂捕蟬，黃雀在後 (táng láng bǔ chán huáng què zài hòu) mean?
螳螂捕蟬，黃雀在後 (táng láng bǔ chán huáng què zài hòu) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "the mantis catches the cicada while the oriole waits behind." In use it means: Focusing only on your target while ignoring the threat behind you; every hunter can be hunted. 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: "the mantis catches the cicada while the oriole waits behind."
The reading
The cicada sang. The mantis crept forward. The oriole watched them both. Everyone is looking at what is in front of them. The danger is almost always behind, in the thing you forgot to check because you were so focused on what you wanted.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Zhuangzi 莊子, Mountain Trees 山木; also Wu Yue Chunqiu 吳越春秋
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 Snake, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 螳螂捕蟬，黃雀在後 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 螳螂捕蟬，黃雀在後 (táng láng bǔ chán huáng què zài hòu) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Zhuangzi 莊子, Mountain Trees 山木; also Wu Yue Chunqiu 吳越春秋. 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 螳螂捕蟬，黃雀在後?
In Mandarin it is táng láng bǔ chán huáng què zài hòu. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 螳螂捕蟬，黃雀在後 aloud in Mandarin.