📖 Meaning
Literally driving fish into deep pools and sparrows into thickets. Originally a metaphor for tyrannical rulers whose oppressive governance drove common people to flee to other states. Now also used to describe pushing potential allies or talented people into the enemy's camp through one's own foolish actions.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from 'Mencius: Li Lou I' (《孟子·离娄上》), a text from the Warring States period. Mencius observed that otters drive fish into deep pools and hawks drive sparrows into thickets—not out of kindness, but as a natural consequence of predation. He drew a parallel to politics: the cruel tyrants Jie of Xia and Zhou of Shang, through their tyranny, inadvertently drove their own subjects toward the virtuous kings Tang and Wu. The saying warns rulers that bad governance alienates the very people they need.
💡 Example Usage
企业管理者若不善待员工，无异于渊鱼丛雀，把人才推向竞争对手。
A manager who mistreats employees is like driving fish into deep pools and sparrows into thickets, pushing talent straight to competitors.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 渊鱼丛雀
- Pinyin: yuān yú cóng què
- Literal Translation: deep pool, fish, thicket, sparrow
- Category: Leadership
- Characters: 4