亡羊补牢 wáng yáng bǔ láo

better late than never; fig. to act belatedly

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency 23187th word

Definitions

  1. 1. better late than never
  2. 2. fig. to act belatedly
  3. 3. lit. to mend the pen after sheep are lost (idiom)
  4. 4. to lock the stable door after the horse has bolted

Characters

Character Meaning
亡 wáng HSK 6
to die; deceased; to be gone
羊 yáng HSK 2
sheep; goat; surname Yang
补 bǔ HSK 5
to make up for; to supplement; to repair
牢 láo HSK 6
firm; sturdy; prison