惊弓之鸟

jīng gōng zhī niǎo

lit. a bird startled by the mere twang of a bow (idiom)

fig. sb who frightens easily, due to past experiences

惊

jīng

to startle

弓

gōng

a bow (weapon)

之

zhī

(possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的[de5])

鸟

niǎo

bird