once bitten, twice shy; overly cautious from a bad experience
A yojijukugo describing someone who has become excessively wary after a past trauma or failure. Rare and literary; in everyday speech, 羹に懲りて膾を吹く or simpler expressions are more common.
He has become like a bird wounded by an arrow, overly cautious after his previous failure.
傷弓の鳥という言葉は、一度ひどい目に遭うと必要以上に用心深くなる人を表す。
The phrase 'shōkyū no tori' describes someone who becomes excessively cautious after a bad experience.
A more common proverb with the same meaning: 'once burnt by hot soup, one blows on cold salad.' Used in everyday contexts, while 傷弓の鳥 is rarer and more literary.
Standard modern spelling of this yojijukugo.
Classical spelling using 之 instead of の; mainly found in older texts.
Derived from classical Chinese literature, literally 'a bird wounded by a bow.' The phrase metaphorically refers to someone who, having been hurt before, becomes overly cautious.