放虎归山 Release the tiger back to the mountain
Explanation
比喻把坏人放回老巢，留下祸根。
It means to send a villain back to his lair, leaving behind a source of trouble.
Origin Story
东汉末年，群雄逐鹿，天下大乱。曹操挟天子以令诸侯，势力最为强大。然而，刘备这位雄才大略的英雄却投奔了曹操，表面上归顺，暗地里却图谋发展。曹操手下谋士程昱看出了刘备的野心，劝曹操早日除掉他，以免后患无穷。曹操却认为刘备暂时没有威胁，便轻信了他虚伪的忠诚。 曹操曾派刘备去讨伐吕布，刘备在与吕布的交战中展现出卓越的军事才能，最终打败了吕布，为曹操立下了汗马功劳。然而，曹操的优柔寡断使得他错失了除掉刘备良机，结果让刘备在战场上展现了其非凡的军事才能，使得他声名鹊起，最终逃脱了曹操的掌控，自立为王。这一举动如同放虎归山，为日后曹操与刘备的长期对抗埋下了伏笔。 曹操最终为他的轻信付出了惨痛的代价，他放虎归山，不仅未能消除潜在的威胁，反而助长了刘备的实力，让原本已经快要被消灭的刘备，得到了喘息的机会，最终壮大，并与曹操展开旷日持久的战争，最终导致三分天下的局面。这个成语故事，警示着人们不可轻敌，更要对潜在的危险及早防范，切不可心存侥幸，留下隐患。
At the end of the Han Dynasty, numerous warlords were vying for dominance in the fragmented country. Cao Cao, as the most powerful player, held the emperor in check. Liu Bei, a man of great ability and ambition, sought refuge with Cao Cao, outwardly submitting, but secretly harboring great plans. Cao Cao's advisor Cheng Yu saw through Liu Bei's ambition and advised Cao Cao to eliminate him early to avoid future problems. Cao Cao, however, believed in Liu Bei's apparent loyalty and underestimated him. Cao Cao once sent Liu Bei to quell Lü Bu. Liu Bei displayed outstanding military capabilities and defeated Lü Bu, earning great merit for Cao Cao. However, Cao Cao's indecisiveness allowed him to miss the opportunity to eliminate Liu Bei. This allowed Liu Bei to showcase his exceptional military prowess, grow in prominence, and eventually escape Cao Cao's control, establishing himself as an independent warlord. This act is similar to releasing the tiger back to the mountains. It set the stage for the protracted conflict between Cao Cao and Liu Bei, ultimately leading to the three-kingdom division of China. Cao Cao ultimately paid a heavy price for his lack of foresight. He had released the tiger back into the mountains, not only failing to remove a potential threat but also fostering Liu Bei's power, allowing him to ultimately grow stronger, challenging Cao Cao in a prolonged war that resulted in the division of the country into three kingdoms. This idiom serves as a warning against underestimating one's enemy, while highlighting the need for early prevention of potential dangers and caution against complacency.
Usage
用于比喻把坏人放回老巢，留下祸根。
Used to illustrate leaving a villain in his hideout, leaving behind a danger.
Examples
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他放虎归山，最终自食其果。
tā fàng hǔ guī shān, zuìzhōng zì shí qí guǒ
He released the tiger back to the mountain, and ultimately reaped what he sowed.
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这种做法无异于放虎归山，后患无穷。
zhè zhǒng zuòfǎ wúyì yú fàng hǔ guī shān, hòu huàn wú qióng
This practice is tantamount to releasing a tiger back to the mountain, with endless future troubles.
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放虎归山，后患无穷。
fàng hǔ guī shān, hòu huàn wú qióng
Releasing a tiger back to the mountains will lead to endless future problems.