谈虎色变
tán hǔ sè biàn
to turn pale at the mere mention of something; to be terrified of something after a bad experience
Character by character
谈tán
talk
talk
虎hǔ
tiger
tiger
色sè
face
face
变biàn
change
change
Example
自从接了一个诈骗电话、被骗走两万块，他对陌生号码谈虎色变，一个都不敢接。
Ever since one scam call cost him twenty thousand yuan, he blanches at unknown numbers and won’t answer a single one.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
From the Song-dynasty 二程遗书: a farmer once mauled by a tiger turns pale whenever tigers are mentioned, because he knows what they can do. Now used with 对… or 一提起…就…, of people or a whole public frightened of something by experience: 让人谈虎色变.
Learn this in Lesson 140 · HSK 7–9: 一罐奶粉 (A can of milk powder)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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