一发而不可收 yī fā ér bù kě shōu

DEFINITIONS

  1. to be impossible to stop once started

CHARACTERS

一 yī one; a, an; alone
发 fā issue, dispatch, send out; hair
而 ér and; and then; and yet; but
不 bù no, not; un-; negative prefix
可 kě may, can, -able; possibly
收 shōu gather together, collect; harvest