# 自投罗网

zì tóu luó wǎng

Walk into a trap oneself

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Throw oneself into the net

**Traditional Chinese:** 自投羅網

**Register:** Critical · general

[Choices & judgment](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/decisions)

## When to use it

Describe voluntarily entering a dangerous trap.

Not every failed choice involves a trap.

## Understanding the expression

A net normally captures something through another person's effort, but here the target enters it voluntarily. The expression emphasizes an avoidable movement toward danger, often caused by overconfidence, ignorance, or a deceptive invitation. Modern traps may involve fraudulent payments or attempts to conceal wrongdoing. It need not imply that the person intended the outcome. The contrast is between choosing the immediate action and failing to recognize what that action leads into.

## Examples

他去找骗子退款，反而自投罗网。

### Traditional Chinese

他去找騙子退款，反而自投羅網。

tā qù zhǎo piàn zi tuì kuǎn ， fǎn ér zì tóu luó wǎng 。

He sought a refund from the scammers and fell into their trap.

嫌疑人回到现场，等于自投罗网。

### Traditional Chinese

嫌疑人回到現場，等於自投羅網。

xián yí rén huí dào xiàn chǎng ， děng yú zì tóu luó wǎng 。

Returning to the scene put the suspect straight into the trap.

别点那个链接，免得自投罗网。

### Traditional Chinese

別點那個鏈接，免得自投羅網。

bié diǎn nà ge liàn jiē ， miǎn de zì tóu luó wǎng 。

Do not click that link and fall into a trap.

她识破邀请，避免了自投罗网。

### Traditional Chinese

她識破邀請，避免了自投羅網。

tā shí pò yāo qǐng ， bì miǎn le zì tóu luó wǎng 。

She recognized the deceptive invitation and avoided the trap.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 6, 2026.

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E8%87%AA%E6%8A%95%E7%BE%85%E7%B6%B2)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=428&webMd=1&la=0)

## Keep exploring

- [自作自受 zì zuò zì shòu Suffer the consequences of one's own actions ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/zi-zuo-zi-shou)

- [走投无路 zǒu tóu wú lù Have no viable way out ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/zou-tou-wu-lu)

- [作茧自缚 zuò jiǎn zì fù Trap oneself through one's own actions ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/zuo-jian-zi-fu)

- [按图索骥 àn tú suǒ jì Search by following a description or guide ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/an-tu-suo-ji)

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