| 螳螂捕蝉，黄雀在后 |
táng láng bǔ chán , huáng què zài hòu |
(lit.) the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the siskin behind (idiom, from Daoist classic Zhuangzi 庄子) / (fig.) to pursue a narrow gain while neglecting a greater danger |
| 螳 |
táng |
praying mantis |
| 螳螂 |
táng láng |
mantis / praying mantis |
| 螳螂捕蝉 |
táng láng bǔ chán |
see 螳螂捕蝉，黄雀在后 |
| 螂 |
láng |
variant of 螂 |
| 螂 |
láng |
used in 蚂螂 / used in 蜣螂 and 虼螂 / used in 螳螂 / used in 蟑螂 |
| 捕 |
bǔ |
to catch; to seize; to capture |
| 蝉 |
chán |
cicada |
| 黄 |
Huáng |
surname Huang or Hwang |
| 黄 |
huáng |
yellow / pornographic / to fall through |
| 黄雀 |
huáng què |
(bird species of China) Eurasian siskin (Spinus spinus) |
| 雀 |
qiāo |
a freckle / lentigo |
| 雀 |
què |
(bound form) small bird / sparrow / also pr. [qiao3] |
| 在 |
zài |
to exist; to be alive / (of sb or sth) to be (located) at / (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress) |
| 在后 |
zài hòu |
behind |
| 后 |
Hòu |
surname Hou |
| 后 |
hòu |
empress / queen / (archaic) monarch / ruler |
| 后 |
hòu |
back / behind / rear / afterwards / after / later / post- |