前车之覆,后车之鉴
Traditional form:
前車之覆,後車之鑒
Pinyin (reading):
qiánchēzhīfù,hòuchēzhījiàn
Definitions:
- lit. the cart in front overturns, a warning to the following cart (idiom); fig. draw lesson from the failure of one's predecessor
- learn from past mistake
- once bitten twice shy
Characters:
- 前 - in front, forward; former, preceding
- 车 - cart, vehicle; to move in a cart
- 之 - marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase; it, him her, them; to go to
- 覆 - to cover; to overturn; to repeat; to reply
- 后 - after; behind, rear; descendants
- 车 - cart, vehicle; to move in a cart
- 之 - marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase; it, him her, them; to go to
- 鉴 - mirror, looking glass; to reflect
Traditional characters:
- 前 - in front, forward; former, preceding
- 車 - cart, vehicle; to move in a cart
- 之 - marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase; it, him her, them; to go to
- 覆 - to cover; to overturn; to repeat; to reply
- 後 - after; behind, rear; descendants
- 車 - cart, vehicle; to move in a cart
- 之 - marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase; it, him her, them; to go to
- 鑒 - mirror, looking glass; to reflect