📖 Meaning
Like a wolf glancing back menacingly and an owl perching watchfully. A metaphor for fierce, violent people who lie in wait, watching for an opportunity to strike or seize power. It vividly conveys a tense atmosphere of lurking treachery.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom comes from the History of the Northern Dynasties (北史), in the appraisal of the Northern Wei annals. It describes the early reign of Emperor Mingyuan of the Northern Wei dynasty, when the empire was just beginning to be pacified after conquest. At that time, ambitious and violent figures still harbored designs on power—glaring like wolves and perching like owls—watching for any chance to usurp authority. The phrase captures the treacherous political atmosphere of the early Northern Wei period, further compounded by severe internal strife in the final years of the Tianci era.
💡 Example Usage
乱贼狼顾鸱踤，妄图趁机窃取权柄。
The rebels glared like wolves and perched like owls, scheming to seize power at the first opportunity.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 狼顾鸱踤
- Pinyin: láng gù chī yín
- Literal Translation: wolf, look back, owl, perch
- Category: Attitude
- Characters: 4