Chinese idiom · 成语
兔死狗烹
Meaning
To discard a helper after their use; to be ungrateful.
Character by character
Origin and story
Literary expressionThe Shuo Lin (說林) chapter of Huainanzi (淮南子) compares finished work with tools that are no longer wanted: after the hare is caught, the hunting dog is cooked; after the birds are exhausted, the powerful crossbow is put away. The harsh image turns usefulness into vulnerability once a task is completed.
The same warning appears in historical writing, including the Shiji accounts associated with the ruler of Yue and with Han Xin. It is not a report that a particular king literally killed his dogs after catching rabbits. The idiom condemns discarding or destroying people after benefiting from their service.
Sources and further reading
In everyday life
项目一成功就赶走核心团队，这不是兔死狗烹吗？
Driving away the core team as soon as the project succeeds—isn’t that discarding people once they’ve served their purpose?
A strong criticism of ingratitude toward people whose help made success possible.