投鼠忌器

Chinese Vocabulary

投鼠忌器

to hesitate to pelt a rat for fear of smashing the vase beside it

tóushǔ-jìqì

Usage & Explanation

A Chinese idiom meaning to hold back from taking action against an enemy for fear of damaging something valuable in the process.

Hear It in Context

This word appears in 1 episode:

Geopolitical Game of $100 Oil Prices and the Strait of Hormuznormal

Related Words

嗷嗷待哺crying piteously for food 杯水车薪a cup of water to put out a cartload of firewood on fire 催化剂catalyst 脆弱fragile / frail / weak 颠覆to overturn / to subvert 剑拔弩张swords drawn and bows bent 戒备to take precautions / to guard 炉火纯青brought to the point of perfection 盘整consolidation (finance)