引蛇出洞 (yǐn shé chū dòng) — (idiom) to lure an opponent or enemy out into the open; to provoke a reaction by baiting

Definition

A strategy idiom meaning 'to lure the enemy out into the open' by baiting them into action. From a 4-character chengyu — use it for tactical, figurative settings (espionage, negotiation), not literal snakes.

idiom
to lure an opponent or enemy out into the opento provoke a reaction by baiting

Examples

  • 引蛇出洞，。
    Tā men yòng jiǎ qíng bào yǐn shé chū dòng, zhōng yú zhuā zhù le jiàn dié.
    They used false information to lure the enemy out and finally caught the spy.
  • 引蛇出洞，。
    Jǐng fāng shè le yí gè quān tào lái yǐn shé chū dòng, ràng zuì fàn zì jǐ xiàn shēn.
    The police set up a trap to lure the criminal out into the open.
  • ，引蛇出洞，。
    Zài zhè cì tán pàn zhōng, tā men shì tú yǐn shé chū dòng, xiān tīng tīng duì fāng de tiáo jiàn.
    In this negotiation, they tried to provoke the other side first by listening to their conditions.

Origin

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 弓弓gōngbow
  • 丿丿piěindicatory stroke

引 is made from 弓, a bow, and 丿, a short slant stroke added at the place where the string is pulled, marking the action of drawing or pulling.

Open 引 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
虫虫chóng
Sound part声符shēngfú
它
它tā蛇shé
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

蛇 combines 虫 with 它; 它 gives the sound and was also the original form of this character.

Open 蛇 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

出 combines 止 (foot) and 凵 (cave) to show a foot stepping out of a cave.

Open 出 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
同
同tóng洞dòng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

洞 combines 水 (water) with 同, which gives the sound tóng.

Open 洞 →

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