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

learn from past mistake

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

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

Characters

Character Meaning
前 qián HSK 1
front; before; forward
車 chē
vehicle; car; machine
之 zhī HSK 4
(possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的de); it
覆 fù HSK 6
again; to repeat; to reply
後 hòu
behind; after; later
車 chē
vehicle; car; machine
之 zhī HSK 4
(possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的de); it
鑒 jiàn
to inspect; to view; to reflect