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HSK 4 Chinese reading practice

惊弓之鸟

jīng gōng zhī niǎo

The Bird Startled by the Bow

An expert archer brings down a wounded goose without an arrow and explains what its flight revealed.

RECOMMENDEDHSK 4
READ4 min
HANZI317
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文化
CULTURE

What is an 惊弓之鸟?

惊弓之鸟 comes from a story in the Strategies of the Warring States. It now describes someone who has been badly frightened before and becomes fearful again at the slightest reminder of that earlier experience.

Key vocabulary11 words from this story
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阅读理解 · COMPREHENSION

Check your understanding

Answer three questions without looking at the English translation.

01更羸没有使用箭，怎样让大雁掉了下来？
02大雁为什么飞得很慢？
03魏加为什么认为临武君不适合再次抵抗秦国？
0 / 3questions answered
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Chinese idiom guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about 惊弓之鸟

What does 惊弓之鸟 mean in English?

惊弓之鸟 (jīng gōng zhī niǎo) literally means “a bird frightened by the bow.” It describes someone who has suffered a frightening experience and becomes easily alarmed by anything similar.

When is 惊弓之鸟 used?

Use 惊弓之鸟 (jīng gōng zhī niǎo) when a past shock makes a person react fearfully even before a new danger is confirmed. For example: After losing important files once, he became an 惊弓之鸟 and checked every backup several times a day.

What is the pinyin for 惊弓之鸟?

The pinyin pronunciation for 惊弓之鸟 is “jīng gōng zhī niǎo.”