机不可失，失不再来

Traditional form:

機不可失，失不再來

Pinyin (reading):

jībùkěshī,shībùzàilái

Definitions:

• opportunity knocks but once (idiom)

Characters:

• 机 - desk; machine; moment, opportunity
• 不 - no, not, un-; negative prefix
• 可 - may, can, -able; possibly
• 失 - to lose; to make a mistake, to neglect
• 失 - to lose; to make a mistake, to neglect
• 不 - no, not, un-; negative prefix
• 再 - again, twice, re-
• 来 - to arrive, to come, to return; in the future, later on

Traditional characters:

• 機 - desk; machine; moment, opportunity
• 不 - no, not, un-; negative prefix
• 可 - may, can, -able; possibly
• 失 - to lose; to make a mistake, to neglect
• 失 - to lose; to make a mistake, to neglect
• 不 - no, not, un-; negative prefix
• 再 - again, twice, re-
• 來 - to arrive, to come, to return; in the future, later on