To spin a cocoon around oneself; to be caught in one's own trap; to bring trouble upon oneself by one's own actions.
他总是喜欢把简单的事情复杂化，结果常常作茧自缚，弄得自己骑虎难下。
He always likes to complicate simple matters, often ending up caught in his own trap and finding himself in a difficult position.
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
Antonym:
Story:
Once upon a time, there was a couplet based on deconstructing characters. The first line was: "鸿 (hóng) is a bird by the river," and the second line was: "蚕 (cán) is an insect under the sky."
The characters '天' (tiān, sky) and '虫' (chóng, insect) combine to form '蚕'.
Silkworms are small green worms with plump bodies, spending all day eating mulberry leaves. After about a month, the silkworm spins a cocoon and traps itself inside. Then, after another month, it transforms into a moth.
People use this analogy to refer to situations where one brings trouble upon oneself.
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