Jīng gōng zhī niǎo shāng qū mù.

驚弓之鳥傷曲木。

Lit The bird [who has been] frightened by a bow is [also] afraid of bent twigs.

Note [Note: jīnggōngzhīniǎo is often used alone as a chengyu meaning “a badly frightened person”; see also yīzhāo bèi shé yǎo below.]

Topics chengyu EXPERIENCE FEAR