狡兔死，良狗烹 — “When the cunning rabbit dies, the good hound is boiled”
狡兔死，良狗烹 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “Capable assistants or loyal subordinates are discarded or eliminated once they have served their purpose and are no longer useful; a warning against being used and then abandoned”. Literally, “When the cunning rabbit dies, the good hound is boiled”.
狡兔死，良狗烹 Pronunciation and Pinyin
狡兔死，良狗烹 Character Breakdown
Example Sentence with 狡兔死，良狗烹
Origin and Story of 狡兔死，良狗烹
During the late Spring and Autumn period, two strategists, Fan Li and Wen Zhong, from the state of Chu, became officials in the state of Yue. They served King Goujian, who had suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of King Fuchai of Wu. Through their unwavering dedication and astute planning, they helped Goujian rebuild Yue into a formidable power, ultimately leading to the downfall of the state of Wu.
However, Fan Li, keenly aware of King Goujian's ruthless nature, chose to leave Yue. He went to the state of Qi, adopted an alias, and became a successful merchant.
He then sent a letter to Wen Zhong, advising him to depart, writing: 'When the cunning rabbit is dead, the good hound is boiled.' Wen Zhong, unfortunately, did not heed his friend's warning and was later put to death by King Goujian.
Idioms Related to 狡兔死，良狗烹
Synonyms of 狡兔死，良狗烹
More idioms starting with 狡
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Open the tool →Questions about 狡兔死，良狗烹
What does 狡兔死，良狗烹 mean?
狡兔死，良狗烹 (jiǎo tù sǐ ， liáng gǒu pēng) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “Capable assistants or loyal subordinates are discarded or eliminated once they have served their purpose and are no longer useful; a warning against being used and then abandoned”.
How do you pronounce 狡兔死，良狗烹?
狡兔死，良狗烹 is pronounced jiǎo tù sǐ ， liáng gǒu pēng in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 狡兔死，良狗烹 literally mean?
Literally, 狡兔死，良狗烹 means “When the cunning rabbit dies, the good hound is boiled”. It is used to mean “Capable assistants or loyal subordinates are discarded or eliminated once they have served their purpose and are no longer useful; a warning against being used and then abandoned”.
Where does 狡兔死，良狗烹 come from?
狡兔死，良狗烹 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 狡兔死，良狗烹?
烹：烧煮。兔子死了，猎狗就被人烹食。比喻给统治者效劳的人事成后被抛弃或杀掉。