事不過三 shì bù guò sān

try at most three times; don't repeat mistakes

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

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)
過 guò
to cross; to go over; to pass (time)
三 sān HSK 1
three; 3; surname San