请神容易送神难

請神容易送神難

qǐngshénróngyìsòngshénnán

idiom

Meanings

1 it's easier to invite the spirit in than to send it away
2 easy to start, hard to finish; once you've let trouble in, it's hard to get rid of

Characters

to allow; (here) easy

to send off; see off

Examples

请神容易送神难，你最好别招惹他。

Qǐngshénróngyìsòngshénnán, nǐ zuìhǎo bié zhāorě tā.

It's easier to invite the spirit in than to send it away — you'd better not provoke him.

公司请来的这位顾问，真是请神容易送神难。

Gōngsī qǐnglái de zhè wèi gùwèn, zhēn shì qǐngshénróngyìsòngshénnán.

This consultant the company brought in — it's truly easier to invite him in than to send him away.

Tips

culture

Rooted in folk religion. Inviting a deity to a household altar (请神) is a simple ritual; properly seeing the deity off (送神) so it doesn't linger and cause trouble is much harder. The saying generalizes: hiring someone, taking on a partner, or accepting 'help' is easy — extracting yourself later isn't.

register

A 俗语 (súyǔ, common saying), not a formal chengyu. Used to warn against rash entanglements — bad employees, freeloading guests, dodgy investors, problematic in-laws.

Stroke Order

请 qǐng

神 shén

容 róng

易 yì

送 sòng

难 nán