失之东隅，收之桑榆 shī zhī dōng yú ， shōu zhī sāng yú

to compensate later for one's earlier loss

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. to compensate later for one's earlier loss
  2. 2. to lose at sunrise but gain at sunset (idiom)
  3. 3. what you lose on the swings you gain on the roundabouts

Characters

Character Meaning
失 shī HSK 4
to lose; to miss; to fail
之 zhī HSK 4
(possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的de); it
东 dōng HSK 1
east; surname Dong
隅 yú
corner
收 shōu HSK 4
to receive; to accept; to collect
之 zhī HSK 4
(possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的de); it
桑 sāng HSK 6
mulberry tree; surname Sang; old variant of 桑sāng
榆 yú
elm