造繭自縛 zào jiǎn zì fù

DEFINITIONS

  1. to spin a cocoon around oneself (idiom); enmeshed in a trap of one's own devising
  2. hoist with his own petard

CHARACTERS

造 zào
HSK 5
construct, build, make, begin; prepare
繭 jiǎn cocoon; callus, blister
自 zì
HSK 3
self, private, personal; from
縛 fù to tie