螳螂捕蝉，黄雀在后 táng láng bǔ chán ， huáng què zài hòu

DEFINITIONS

  1. the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind (idiom, from Daoist classic Zhuangzi 莊子|庄子); to pursue a narrow gain while neglecting a greater danger

CHARACTERS

螳 táng mantis
螂 láng mantis, dung beetle
捕 bǔ
HSK 6
arrest, catch, seize
蝉 chán cicada; continuous
黄 huáng
HSK 3
yellow; surname
雀 què
HSK 6
sparrow
在 zài
HSK 1
be at, in, on; consist in, rest
后 hòu
HSK 1
queen, empress, sovereign; (simp. for 後) behind, rear, after