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jīng 惊 gōng 弓 zhī 之 niǎo 鸟

惊弓之鸟 jīng gōng zhī niǎo

a bird startled by the mere twang of a bow; a person once frightened and now easily panicked

Literally: startled bow (attributive particle) bird

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Origin

From the Zhanguo Ce (Chu Ce IV): the archer Geng Lei brought down a wounded goose by twanging an empty bow, because the bird, already frightened, panicked at the sound.

How to use it

Object or predicate noun; negative, describing lingering fear. Often 成了惊弓之鸟.

Example sentences

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  1. 经历那次地震后，居民们成了惊弓之鸟，稍有震动就往外跑。
    Jīnglì nà cì dìzhèn hòu, jūmínmen chéng le jīng gōng zhī niǎo, shāo yǒu zhèndòng jiù wǎng wài pǎo.
    After that earthquake the residents were like startled birds, running outside at the slightest tremor.
    experience that time earthquake after, resident (plural) become (aspect particle) startled bow (attributive particle) bird, slightly have shake then toward outside run
  2. 连续的坏消息让投资者如惊弓之鸟，纷纷撤资。
    Liánxù de huài xiāoxi ràng tóuzīzhě rú jīng gōng zhī niǎo, fēnfēn chèzī.
    A string of bad news left investors as jumpy as startled birds, and they pulled out their money one after another.
    continuous (attributive particle) bad news make investor like startled bow (attributive particle) bird, one-after-another withdraw capital

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