📖 Meaning
To drive sparrows into the thicket. It is a metaphor for failing to unite people and instead driving those who could have been allies into the opposing camp through poor leadership or mistreatment.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from Mencius (《孟子·离娄上》), a text from the Warring States period. Mencius argued that just as otters drive fish into deep pools and hawks drive sparrows into thickets, tyrannical rulers like Jie of Xia and Zhou of Shang drove their own people into the arms of virtuous leaders such as Tang and King Wu. The phrase illustrates that oppressive governance alienates the populace and benefits one's rivals. It is often paired with the related expression '为渊驱鱼' (driving fish into the deep pool).
💡 Example Usage
领导者若不善待员工，便是为丛驱雀，把人才推向竞争对手。
If a leader mistreats employees, they are driving sparrows into the thicket—pushing talent toward competitors.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 为丛驱雀
- Pinyin: wèi cóng qū què
- Literal Translation: for, thicket, drive, sparrow
- Category: Leadership
- Characters: 4