惊弓之鸟 (jīnɡ ɡōnɡ zhī niǎo)

战国时，魏国有一个叫更羸的射箭能手。有一天，更羸与魏王在京台之下，看见一只鸟从头顶上飞过，更羸对魏王说：“王，我可以不用箭，只要拉一下弓，这只大雁就能掉下来。” “箭能达到这样的功夫？”魏王问。更羸说道：“可以。” 说话间，有雁从东方飞来，当雁飞近时，只见更羸举起弓，不用箭，拉了一下弦，随着咚的一声响，正飞着的大雁就从半空中掉了下来。

魏王看到后大吃一惊，连声说：“真有这样的事情。”便问更羸不用箭怎么将空中飞着的雁射下来的。更羸对魏王讲：“没什么，这是一只受过箭伤的大雁。”“你怎么知道这只大雁受过箭伤呢？”魏王更加奇怪了。更羸继续对魏王说：“这只大雁飞得慢，叫得悲，叫得悲是因为它离开同伴已很久了，伤口在作痛，还没有好，它心里又害怕，当听到弓弦声响后，害怕再次被箭射中，于是就拼命往高处飞，一使劲本来未愈的伤口又裂开了，疼痛难忍，再也飞不动了，就从空中掉了下来。”

During the Warring States period，there was a well-known archer named Geng Ying whose shooting art was very excellent. One day, he saw a wild goose flying overhead as he was standing by the side of the King of Wei. Geng Ying said to the King: "King, I can bring down the goose just by the twang of my bow-string." The King doubted: ”Your shooting can be this good?” “Yes!” Geng answered. Just then a solitary wild goose appeared in its flight. Instantly Geng Ying bended his bow and pulled the bowstring. Twang! The bird fell down to the ground.

The king was very surprised and said: ”It’s unbelievable! How did you do that?” Geng Ying then explained: "The bird is an injured one.” “How did you know that?” The king became even more surprised. Geng told the King: ”The goose was slow in its flight and sad in its cry. It was crying in a bitter tone, because it had lost its companions for a long time and his wound was hurting it.” Due to the fact that it was already hurt and sad at heart, the shrilling sound made its heart beat fast, its wings weak, its balance uneven. Thus it fell down to the ground.

惊弓之鸟, meaning "A Bird Startled by the Mere Twang of a Bow-string" implies that if a man has been previously and repeatedly frightened, he will become anxious and uneasy after that.

e.g.

yùdào wēixiǎn, tā xiànɡ jīnɡɡōnɡzhīniǎo yíyànɡ sìchùtáocuàn.

遇到 危险，她 像 惊弓之鸟 一样 四处逃窜。

Facing danger, she fled like a startled bird.

ɡuǎnɡchǎnɡshànɡ tūrán fāshēnɡle bàozhà, rénmen dōu biànchénɡle jīnɡɡōnɡzhīniǎo.

广场上 突然 发生了 爆炸，人们 都 变成了 惊弓之鸟。

People became startled birds after the sudden explosion on the square.

zài jǐnɡcháde zhuībǔ xià, fànrén chénɡle yìqún jīnɡɡōnɡzhīniǎo.

在 警察的 追捕 下，犯人 成了 一群 惊弓之鸟。

Under the chase of the police, the criminals were like a flock of startled birds.