To unwittingly invite disaster or greater danger upon oneself while attempting to secure safety or solve a problem, akin to 'shooting oneself in the foot' or 'playing with fire'.
他以为采取这种激进措施能解决问题，没想到却是独坐穷山，引虎自卫，反而让局面更糟。
He thought taking such drastic measures would solve the problem, but it turned out he was inviting disaster upon himself, making the situation even worse.
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