引狼入室

yǐnláng-rùshì

idiom

Meanings

HSK 5

轻信陌生人可能是引狼入室。

Qīngxìn mòshēngrén kěnéng shì yǐnlángrùshì.

Trusting strangers too easily can invite disaster.

HSK 7-9

雇用他就等于引狼入室。

Gùyòng tā jiù děngyú yǐnlángrùshì.

Hiring him is like inviting a wolf into the house.

HSK 7-9

他没想到自己是引狼入室。

Tā méixiǎngdào zìjǐ shì yǐnlángrùshì.

He didn't realize he was letting the wolf in.

history

From Zhang Guobin's Yuan-dynasty play 《罗李郎》: 我不是引的狼来屋里窝 ('I didn't invite the wolf to nest in my house').

usage

English parallel: 'a snake in the grass' or 'letting the fox guard the henhouse.' Used when someone unknowingly brings danger into their own circle.

引 yǐn

狼 láng

入 rù

室 shì