Where exactly is the "seven inches" in "hit a snake at its seven inches," and what does it specifically mean?

We often hear the older generation say “hit a snake at its seven inches”, and this is also a saying summed up by the ancients. It is said that hitting here can make a snake die for sure, so where do the “seven inches” refer to? What does it specifically mean?

1. Where do the "seven inches" in "hit a snake at its seven inches" refer to?

1. According to what many people say, the seven inches are not a specific length, but refer to a snake's vital spot, generally the snake's heart. Hitting the heart can kill the snake; some people also say "hit a snake at its three inches," and these three inches are the place in the snake's spine that is easiest to break.

2. According to relevant experiments, hitting a snake at its seven inches will not cause the snake to die. A snake's seven inches and its heart have no connection at all. If the seven inches refer to the heart, then this is obviously inaccurate, because the position of the heart is related to the snake's length and species. Even if you hit it by luck, you still cannot kill the snake, so "hit a snake at its seven inches" is simply unreliable.

Friendly reminder: Therefore everyone must pay attention and not blindly attack snakes. If we encounter a snake in the wild, do not panic. The vast majority of snakes are afraid of people. If you are worried it will hurt you, and if it attacks you, just scare it with a stick and it will run away, or strike down across its middle with one stick. With enough force, the spine will break, and the snake will no longer have the ability to attack.

2. What does "hit a snake at its seven inches" mean?

"Hit a snake at its seven inches" comes from: Qing dynasty, Wang Youguang, "Wuxia Yanlian · Hit a Snake at Its Seven Inches": “A snake has seven inches, below the head and above the belly. See it clearly, strike it heavily, control its vital spot, and you have got it.”

Meaning: A snake has seven inches, between the tongue and the snake's belly. See it clearly, strike with force, and subdue its vital spot, and that is enough. It is a metaphor meaning that when speaking or doing things, one must grasp the key point and the vital spot.

Synonym: To catch bandits, first catch the ringleader.

The above is the introduction to the saying about hitting a snake at its seven inches. In fact, this is also a saying left by the ancients, and after testing by modern people, it is still inaccurate. When encountering a snake in the wild, you must handle it calmly.