へびにかまれてくちなわにおじる

蛇に噛まれて朽ち縄に怖じる

once bitten twice shy; to become over cautious from a bad experience; to be bitten by a snake and thus fear a rotten rope (which resembles a snake)

N3Expression
Expression, Ichidan verb
once bitten twice shyto become over cautious from a bad experienceto be bitten by a snake and thus fear a rotten rope (which resembles a snake)