引狼入室

yǐnláng-rùshì

idiom

Meanings

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.

轻信陌生人可能是引狼入室。

Qīngxìn mòshēngrén kěnéng shì yǐnlángrùshì.

Trusting strangers too easily can invite disaster.

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