一言既出，驷马难追

Traditional form:

一言既出，駟馬難追

Pinyin (reading):

yīyánjìchū,sìmǎnánzhuī

Definitions:

• lit. once said, a team of horses cannot unsay it (idiom); a promise must be kept

Characters:

• 一 - one; a, an; alone
• 言 - words, speech; to speak, to say
• 既 - already, since, then; both; de facto
• 出 - to go out, to send out; stand; produce
• 驷 - a team of four horses
• 马 - horse; surname
• 难 - hard, difficult, arduous; unable
• 追 - to pursue, to chase after; to expel

Traditional characters:

• 一 - one; a, an; alone
• 言 - words, speech; to speak, to say
• 既 - already, since, then; both; de facto
• 出 - to go out, to send out; stand; produce
• 駟 - a team of four horses
• 馬 - horse; surname
• 難 - hard, difficult, arduous; unable
• 追 - to pursue, to chase after; to expel