羹に懲りて膾を吹く (Atsumono ni korite namasu wo fuku)

Meaning: Someone burned once becomes overcautious, even about harmless things.

Literally: Burned by hot soup, one blows on cold salad

Example: “一度失敗してから、彼は何でも慎重すぎる。羹に懲りて膾を吹くだね。” — Since failing once he's overcautious about everything: once bitten, twice shy.

Equivalents in English

Origin: From the Chu Ci, the ancient poems attributed to Qu Yuan: one who has been scalded by hot broth blows on cold minced salad.

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