p8nda
p8nda BETA
Home Dictionary Translate Flashcards Sign in

螳螂捕蝉，黄雀在后

螳螂捕蟬，黃雀在後
tánglángbǔchán,huángquèzàihòu
idiom

Meanings

  1. 1 the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind
  2. 2 to pursue a narrow gain while neglecting a greater danger lurking behind

Examples

他只顾算计同事，没想到螳螂捕蝉，黄雀在后，自己反被老板裁掉了。
Tā zhǐgù suànjì tóngshì, méi xiǎngdào tángláng bǔ chán, huángquè zài hòu, zìjǐ fǎn bèi lǎobǎn cái diào le.
He focused only on scheming against his coworker — never thinking the mantis stalks the cicada with an oriole behind — and ended up being laid off by the boss himself.
做事要看长远，提防螳螂捕蝉，黄雀在后。
Zuòshì yào kàn chángyuǎn, dīfáng tángláng bǔ chán, huángquè zài hòu.
When acting, look long-term — watch out for the mantis-stalking-cicada-with-oriole-behind situation.

Tips

history
Earliest version in Zhuangzi 《庄子·山木》: Zhuangzi wanders into a chestnut grove and sees a cicada enjoying shade, oblivious to a mantis about to strike — the mantis itself oblivious to a strange magpie about to seize it. Later expanded by Han-dynasty Han Ying 韩婴 in 《韩诗外传》 to the more familiar mantis-cicada-oriole chain. A signature Daoist parable about chains of predation and short-sighted greed.
usage
Often shortened to just 螳螂捕蝉 (tángláng bǔ chán) — the second half is implied. Used to warn someone too focused on a small target while a bigger threat closes in from behind. Modern equivalent: 'too focused on the prize, missing the trap'.

Stroke Order

螳 táng
螂 láng
捕 bǔ
蝉 chán
黄 huáng
雀 què
在 zài
后 hòu