失之東隅，收之桑榆 shī zhī dōng yú ， shōu zhī sāng yú

DEFINITIONS

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

CHARACTERS

失 shī
HSK 4
lose; make mistake, neglect
之 zhī
HSK 4
marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase; it, him her, them; go to
東 dōng east, eastern, eastward
隅 yú corner, nook, remote place
收 shōu
HSK 4
gather together, collect; harvest
之 zhī
HSK 4
marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase; it, him her, them; go to
桑 sāng
HSK 6
mulberry tree; surname
榆 yú elm tree