後車之鑒 hòu chē zhī jiàn

fig. draw lesson from the failure of one's predecessor

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. fig. draw lesson from the failure of one's predecessor
  2. 2. learn from past mistake
  3. 3. lit. warning to the following cart (idiom); don't follow the track of an overturned cart
  4. 4. once bitten twice shy

Characters

Character Meaning
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