前車之覆，後車之鑒 qián chē zhī fù ， hòu chē zhī jiàn

DEFINITIONS

  1. lit. the cart in front overturns, a warning to the following cart (idiom); fig. draw lesson from the failure of one's predecessor
  2. learn from past mistake
  3. once bitten twice shy

CHARACTERS

前 qián
HSK 1
in front, forward; preceding
車 chē cart, vehicle; carry in cart
之 zhī
HSK 4
marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase; it, him her, them; go to
覆 fù
HSK 6
cover; tip over; return; reply
後 hòu behind, rear, after; descendents
車 chē cart, vehicle; carry in cart
之 zhī
HSK 4
marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase; it, him her, them; go to
鑒 jiàn mirror, looking glass; reflect