螳螂捕蝉，黄雀在后
táng láng bǔ chán , huáng què zài hòu
Pinyin

Definition

螳螂捕蝉，黄雀在后
 - 
táng láng bǔ chán , huáng què zài hòu
  1. the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind (idiom, from Daoist classic Zhuangzi 莊子|庄子); to pursue a narrow gain while neglecting a greater danger

Character Decomposition

Related Words (20)

在
zài
  1. 1 (located) at
  2. 2 (to be) in
  3. 3 to exist
  4. 4 in the middle of doing sth
  5. 5 (indicating an action in progress)
现在
xiàn zài
  1. 1 now
  2. 2 at present
  3. 3 at the moment
  4. 4 modern
  5. 5 current
  6. 6 nowadays
在一起
zài yī qǐ
  1. 1 together
在乎
zài hu
  1. 1 to care about
  2. 2 equivalent of 在於|在于[zài yú]
在意
zài yì
  1. 1 to care about
  2. 2 to mind
在于
zài yú
  1. 1 to be in
  2. 2 to lie in
  3. 3 to consist in
  4. 4 to depend on
  5. 5 to rest with
在线
zài xiàn
  1. 1 online
好在
hǎo zài
  1. 1 luckily
  2. 2 fortunately
存在
cún zài
  1. 1 to exist
  2. 2 to be
  3. 3 existence
实在
shí zài
  1. 1 really
  2. 2 actually
  3. 3 indeed
  4. 4 true
  5. 5 real
  6. 6 honest
  7. 7 dependable
  8. 8 (philosophy) reality
捕鱼
bǔ yú
  1. 1 to catch fish
  2. 2 to fish
正在
zhèng zài
  1. 1 just at (that time)
  2. 2 right in (that place)
  3. 3 right in the middle of (doing sth)
自在
zì zai
  1. 1 free
  2. 2 unrestrained
  3. 3 comfortable
  4. 4 at ease
雀巢
Què cháo
  1. 1 Nestlé
麻雀
má què
  1. 1 sparrow
  2. 2 (dialect) mahjong
不在
bù zài
  1. 1 not to be present
  2. 2 to be out
  3. 3 (euphemism) to pass away
  4. 4 to be deceased
不在乎
bù zài hu
  1. 1 not to care
不在了
bù zài le
  1. 1 to be dead
  2. 2 to have passed away
不自在
bù zì zai
  1. 1 uneasiness
  2. 2 feel uncomfortable
事在人为
shì zài rén wéi
  1. 1 the matter depends on the individual (idiom); it is a matter for your own effort
  2. 2 With effort, one can achieve anything.

Idioms (20)

一不做，二不休
yī bù zuò , èr bù xiū
  1. 1 don't do it, or don't rest (idiom); either give up, or go through to the end
  2. 2 Since we started, we must carry it through whatever happens.
  3. 3 in for a penny, in for a pound
一人得道，鸡犬升天
yī rén dé dào , jī quǎn shēng tiān
  1. 1 lit. when a man achieves the Dao, his poultry and dogs rise to Heaven (idiom)
  2. 2 fig. to ride on sb else's success
  3. 3 Once one man gets a government position, all his cronies get in too
  4. 4 Once sb has cracked the problem, every Tom, Dick and Harry can do it
一个天南，一个地北
yī ge tiān nán , yī ge dì běi
  1. 1 to live miles apart (idiom)
一传十，十传百
yī chuán shí , shí chuán bǎi
  1. 1 news pass quickly from mouth to mouth (idiom)
  2. 2 an infectious disease spreads quickly (old meaning)
一则以喜，一则以忧
yī zé yǐ xǐ , yī zé yǐ yōu
  1. 1 happy on the one hand, but worried on the other (idiom)
一夫当关，万夫莫开
yī fū dāng guān , wàn fū mò kāi
  1. 1 one man can hold the pass against ten thousand enemies (idiom)
一寸光阴一寸金，寸金难买寸光阴
yī cùn guāng yīn yī cùn jīn , cùn jīn nán mǎi cùn guāng yīn
  1. 1 lit. An interval of time is worth an ounce of gold, money cannot buy you time. (idiom)
  2. 2 fig. Time is precious and must be treasured.
一年之计在于春
yī nián zhī jì zài yú chūn
  1. 1 the whole year must be planned for in the spring (idiom)
  2. 2 early planning is the key to success
一手交钱，一手交货
yī shǒu jiāo qián , yī shǒu jiāo huò
  1. 1 lit. one hand exchanges the cash, the other the goods (idiom)
  2. 2 fig. to pay for what you want in cash
  3. 3 simple and direct transaction
一日不见，如隔三秋
yī rì bù jiàn , rú gé sān qiū
  1. 1 one day apart seems like three years (idiom)
一日之计在于晨
yī rì zhī jì zài yú chén
  1. 1 make your day's plan early in the morning (idiom)
  2. 2 early morning is the golden time of the day
一日为师，终身为父
yī rì wéi shī , zhōng shēn wéi fù
  1. 1 lit. teacher for one day, father for ever (idiom)
一是一，二是二
yī shì yī , èr shì èr
  1. 1 lit. one is one, two is two (idiom)
  2. 2 fig. things are (or ought to be) perfectly clear-cut
  3. 3 unequivocal
一朝被蛇咬，十年怕井绳
yī zhāo bèi shé yǎo , shí nián pà jǐng shéng
  1. 1 once bitten by a snake, ten years in fear of a well rope
  2. 2 once bitten, twice shy (idiom)
一波未平，一波又起
yī bō wèi píng , yī bō yòu qǐ
  1. 1 before the first wave subsides, a new wave rises (idiom); a new problem arises before the old is solved
  2. 2 many twists and turns to a story
  3. 3 one thing after another
一瓶子不响，半瓶子晃荡
yī píng zi bù xiǎng , bàn píng zi huàng dang
  1. 1 lit. a full bottle makes no sound; a half-filled bottle sloshes (idiom)
  2. 2 fig. empty vessels make the most noise
一着不慎，满盘皆输
yī zhāo bù shèn , mǎn pán jiē shū
  1. 1 One careless move and the whole game is lost. (idiom)
一言既出，驷马难追
yī yán jì chū , sì mǎ nán zhuī
  1. 1 lit. once said, a team of horses cannot unsay it (idiom); a promise must be kept
丈二和尚，摸不着头脑
zhàng èr hé shang , mō bu zháo tóu nǎo
  1. 1 lit. like a three-meter high monk, you can't rub his head (idiom)
  2. 2 fig. at a total loss
三人行，必有我师
sān rén xíng , bì yǒu wǒ shī
  1. 1 lit. if three walk together, one can be my teacher (idiom, from the Analects of Confucius)
  2. 2 you have sth to learn from everyone

Sample Sentences

螳螂捕蝉，黄雀在后
tánglángbǔchán,huángquèzàihòu
A praying mantis tries to catch a cicada while a yellow sparrow lurks behind.
Go to Lesson 
为了要换免费的东西，所以给了个人资料。螳螂捕蝉，黄雀在后。你不能只想着眼前的利益。
wèile yào huàn miǎnfèi de dōngxi ，suǒyǐ gěi le gèrén zīliào 。tánglángbǔchán,huángquèzàihòu 。nǐ bùnéng zhǐ xiǎng zhe yǎnqián de lìyì 。
In order to get free samples, you gave out your personal information. You can't see the forest for the trees. Don't only consider the immediate profits.
Go to Lesson 
有一间公司的股票涨得很快，但是要小心“螳螂捕蝉，黄雀在后”，这可能只是一时的炒作而已。
yǒu yī jiān gōngsī de gǔpiào zhǎng de hěn kuài ，dànshì yào xiǎoxīn “tánglángbǔchán,huángquèzàihòu ”，zhè kěnéng zhǐshì yīshí de chǎozuò éryǐ 。
One company's stock increases fast. But beware of the potential danger. This might only be a short-term hype.
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