探虎穴

tàn hǔxué

idiom

Meanings

1 to take a bold risk, to brave the tiger's den
2 to go into danger in pursuit of a great goal

Characters

to reach into, to probe

Examples

HSK 6

做生意有时就得探虎穴，不冒险就没有回报。

Zuò shēngyi yǒushí jiù děi tàn hǔxué, bú màoxiǎn jiù méiyǒu huíbào.

In business you sometimes have to brave the tiger's den - no risk, no reward.

HSK 7-9

记者探虎穴，潜入现场采访。

Jìzhě tàn hǔxué, qiánrù xiànchǎng cǎifǎng.

The journalist entered the lion's den, sneaking onto the scene to report.

Tips

history

From 《后汉书·班超传》: 不入虎穴，不得虎子 - 'if you don't enter the tiger's den, you won't get the cub.' 班超 uttered this before his daring raid on the Xiongnu envoys, turning it into China's most durable proverb about calculated risk.

Stroke Order

探 tàn

虎 hǔ

穴 xué