事不过三 shì bù guò sān

don't try more than three times; no fourth time

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency 33918th word

Definitions

  1. 1. a thing should not be attempted more than three times (idiom)
  2. 2. don't repeat the same mistake again and again
  3. 3. bad things don't happen more than three times

Characters

Character Meaning
事 shì HSK 2
matter; thing; affair
不 bù HSK 1
not; no; (negative prefix)
过 guò HSK 2
to cross; to go over; to pass (time)
三 sān HSK 1
three; 3; surname San