📖 Meaning
Striking the grass startles the snake hidden within. It originally meant that punishing one party alerts another to become cautious. It now mostly describes acting carelessly and inadvertently putting the opponent on guard. It is a variant of the more common idiom 打草惊蛇.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from the Song dynasty Chan Buddhist text 《景德传灯录》, in the record of Zen Master Shengnian (省念禅师). When asked by a monk what teaching he expounded while surrounded by the four assemblies of followers, the master replied simply '打草蛇惊' — beating the grass startles the snake. The Song dynasty philosopher Zhu Xi later used the phrase in a letter, expressing concern that seeing another reprimanded would put people on guard and make them afraid to act.
💡 Example Usage
警方在调查此案时务必谨慎，以免打草蛇惊让嫌疑人提前销毁证据。
The police must investigate this case carefully, so as not to beat the grass and startle the snake, letting the suspect destroy evidence in advance.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 打草蛇惊
- Pinyin: dǎ cǎo shé jīng
- Literal Translation: beat, grass, snake, startled
- Category: Method
- Characters: 4