出头椽子先烂

椽(chuan)子：架在屋檩子上的木条。伸出房檐外的椽子由于日晒雨淋，往往会先腐朽烂掉。比喻冒尖的人，往往容易先遭到打击。
也作：出头椽先朽

出头椽子先烂chū tóu chuán zi xiān làn

the rafters that jut out are the first to rot; he who sticks his neck out bears the brunt
❍ 李连生皮笑肉不笑地说： “别看他现在闹得欢，～。” Li Liansheng said with a cold smile，“He is making trouble wilfully. Don't bother. He who sticks his neck out bears the brunt.”/还有一些人，心里寻思着，韩老六是该斗争的，但何必自己张嘴抬手呢？ “～”。(周立波《暴风骤雨》119) Still others thought Han deserved a trial,but did not intend to speak against him themselves.After all,exposed rafters are the first to rot.