daa2 cou2 geng1 se4打草驚蛇打草惊蛇

Jyutpingdaa2 cou2 geng1 se4

Yaledá chóu gēng sèh

Definition

To inadvertently alert an enemy or target by acting conspicuously; to beat the grass and scare the snake.

colloquialother

How it's used

Commonly used in contexts involving investigations, surveillance, or any situation where maintaining secrecy is paramount. It serves as a warning against impulsive actions that might reveal one's intentions prematurely. While it originates from classical literature, it remains a standard idiom in modern spoken Cantonese.

Examples

nei5你gam3咁daai6大seng1聲gong2講je5嘢，hou2好jung4容ji6易daa2打cou2草ging1驚se4蛇㗎。

You are talking so loudly, it is very easy to alert the target.

ngo5我dei6哋jiu3要zing6靜zing2靜gai1雞zou6做，m4唔hou2好daa2打cou2草ging1驚se4蛇。

We need to do this quietly so we do not alert them.

Common phrases

m4唔hou2好daa2打cou2草ging1驚se4蛇

do not alert the target

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for a literal description of hunting or gardening. It is strictly used metaphorically to describe the act of ruining a stealthy operation through carelessness.