The invention relates to a surgical instrument (1), particularly an electrosurgical instrument, comprising an instrument shaft (4), two instrument branches that are arranged distally thereupon and can be positioned relatively to one another in a working position and a rest position, a handle element (3) on which an operating element (32) is movably arranged for positioning the instrument branches, and a coupling mechanism (4, 5, 6) having a translating unit (30) that converts a movement of said operating element (32), non-linearly, into a relative movement of at least one of the two instrument branches, wherein the coupling mechanism (4, 5, 6) comprises at least one bias element (18, 34) that biases the mechanism into the rest position and/or into the working position of said instrument branches.
