狗急跳墙

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: gǒu jí tiào qiáng
• English Translation: A cornered dog will jump over a wall (resorting to desperate measures)
• Idiom Composition: 「狗」（Dog (used here as a metaphor for a lowly person or a villain)）＋「急」（Desperate, anxious, or cornered）＋「跳」（To jump or leap）＋「墙」（Wall (representing a barrier or a dead end)）
• Meaning: A derogatory expression describing a villain or enemy who, when driven into a corner with no way out, resorts to reckless, extreme, or dangerous actions in a final act of desperation.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「狗急跳墙」 contains the following nuances:

• Derogatory Nature: While the English phrase 'a cornered rat will bite' can sometimes imply a level of sympathy for the underdog, 狗急跳墙 (gǒu jí tiào qiáng) is strictly derogatory. It frames the person's actions as the cowardly or irrational behavior of a 'dog' (villain) rather than a brave stand.
• Unpredictable Danger: The idiom emphasizes that when someone is truly cornered, they may display 'superhuman' or unexpected capabilities (like a dog jumping a high wall) to cause harm or escape, making them highly unpredictable.

3. Usage

「狗急跳墙」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Hostile Situations & Warnings: Used to warn others not to push an opponent too far, as they might lash out dangerously.
  • Example:「别把他逼得太紧，小心他狗急跳墙，做出极端的事情来。」
    （Don't push him too hard; be careful he doesn't resort to desperate measures and do something extreme.）
• Criminal Behavior: Describing the final, often violent, struggle of a criminal before being caught.
  • Example:「那名罪犯在被包围后狗急跳墙，竟然挟持了人质。」
    （After being surrounded, the criminal acted out of desperation and actually took a hostage.）
• Arguments or Competition: Criticizing someone who loses their composure and resorts to foul play when they are losing.
  • Example:「他在辩论中理屈词穷，最后竟然狗急跳墙，开始人身攻击。」
    （He ran out of arguments during the debate and finally, in a fit of desperate rage, began making personal attacks.）

Additional Examples:

1. 我们要防备敌人狗急跳墙，做好应对突发状况的准备。
   （We must be on guard against the enemy making a desperate last-ditch effort and be prepared for any emergencies.）
2. 这家公司面临破产，老板狗急跳墙，卷款潜逃了。
   （Facing bankruptcy, the owner resorted to desperate measures and fled with the company's funds.）
3. 虽然他现在处于劣势，但难保不会狗急跳墙，我们不能掉以轻心。
   （Although he is currently at a disadvantage, there is no guarantee he won't act out of desperation, so we cannot let our guard down.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Origin: This idiom is derived from the Dunhuang Transformation Texts (敦煌变文集), which contained the phrase 'people in a hurry burn incense, and dogs in a hurry leap over walls.' While it originally meant that people do unusual things under pressure, it evolved into a specific description of a villain's desperate struggle.
• Animal Imagery: In Chinese culture, idioms involving 'dogs' (狗 - gǒu) are frequently negative. Examples include 狗腿子 (gǒu tuǐ zi), meaning a 'henchman,' and 狐朋狗友 (hú péng gǒu yǒu), meaning 'bad company.' This idiom uses the dog to signify someone contemptible.
• Nuance Comparison: Unlike the English concept of 'fighting with one's back to the wall,' which can be heroic, 狗急跳墙 (gǒu jí tiào qiáng) always implies that the person is acting out of a lack of options and character, rather than noble defiance.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 困兽犹斗 (kùn shòu yóu dòu): A cornered beast still fights; refers to a final struggle in a hopeless situation.
  • 铤而走险 (tǐng ér zǒu xiǎn): To take a risk in desperation; to resort to a risky course of action when there is no other way.
  • 孤注一掷 (gū zhù yī zhì): To stake everything on a single throw.link
  • 走投无路 (zǒu tóu wú lù): To have no way out or no options left.link
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 坐以待毙 (zuò yǐ dài bì): To sit and wait for death; to give up and accept one's fate without a struggle.
  • 束手就擒 (shù shǒu jiù qín): To allow oneself to be captured without putting up any resistance.
  • 从容不迫 (cóng róng bù pò): Calm and unhurried.link
  • 胸有成竹 (xiōng yǒu chéng zhú): To be confident and have a well-thought-out plan before taking action.link

6. Summary

The idiom 狗急跳墙 (gǒu jí tiào qiáng) literally depicts a dog that, when pushed to its limit, manages to leap over a high wall it normally couldn't clear. In a figurative sense, it is used to criticize bad actors or opponents who, facing certain defeat, engage in irrational or violent 'last-ditch' efforts. It serves as a warning that a cornered enemy can be particularly dangerous because they have nothing left to lose.