养虎为患 in English yang3 hu3 wei2 huan4 Meaning

Meanings

  • literally (word for word) to nurture a tiger invites calamity
  • metaphorically to indulge one's enemy is asking for trouble (idiomatic expression)

Simplified Characters

养 虎 为 患

Traditional Characters

養 虎 為 患

Pinyin

yang3 hu3 wei2 huan4

Literal

Literal explanation, with pronunciation and meaning of each character.

养yang3to raise (animals) 虎hu3tiger 为wei4as (in the capacity of) 患huan4to suffer (from illness)