Dǎ shé bù sǐ, zì yí qí hài.*

打蛇不死, 自遺其害。

Lit [If a] snake is not beaten to death, [one] will suffer harm [from] it [later].

Fig In dealing with an enemy or a problem, deal with it completely, or it may come back to haunt you later.

Note [Cf. Xǐngshì Héngyán, chap. 22; also said dǎ shé bù sǐ, zhuǎn bēi yǎo rén, “If a snake is not beaten to death, it will turn around and bite you”; see also dí bùkě zòng above and fànghǔ-guīshān below.]

Topics CAUTION ENEMIES STRATEGY THOROUGHNESS Xǐngshì_Héngyán