Chinese word

亡羊补牢

Pronunciation

Pinyinwáng yáng bǔ láo

Meaning

  • idiombetter late than never

Example

发现错误后，及时亡羊补牢，能减少损失。fā xiàn cuò wù hòu jí shí wáng yáng bǔ láo néng jián shǎo sǔn shī

After finding a mistake, taking action right away can reduce losses.

Illustration for 亡羊补牢 (better late than never)

More examples

虽然已经发生损失，但仍应采取措施亡羊补牢，减轻后果。suī rán yǐ jīng fā shēng sǔn shī dàn réng yīng cái qǔ cuò shī wáng yáng bǔ láo jiǎn qīng hòu guǒ

Although losses have already occurred, we should still take steps to put things right and reduce the consequences.

Core concept

A remedy that begins after the first damage but stops the problem from growing.

Common phrases

  • 亡羊补牢的做法wáng yáng bǔ láo de zuò fǎ

    after-the-event measures

  • 事到临头才亡羊补牢shì dào lín tóu cái wáng yáng bǔ láo

    wait until the last minute to fix things

Similar words

未雨绸缪wèi yǔ chóu móu: Making preparations ahead of time for problems or dangers that may occur.
防患未然fáng huàn wèi rán: Preventing trouble by taking action before a harmful event can occur.
事后诸葛亮shì hòu zhū gé liàng: Giving opinions or advice about what happened only after it is over.
后悔莫及hòu huǐ mò jí: Having no way to make things right because the chance to act has passed.

Definition in Chinese

在遭受损失之后采取补救行动，旨在减少后续损害。zài zāo shòu sǔn shī zhī hòu cái qǔ bǔ jiù xíng dòng zhǐ zài jián shǎo hòu xù sǔn hài

Word origin

The idiom 亡羊补牢 (wángyángbǔláo, "losing sheep and mending the pen") recalls a sheep pen repaired after a sheep is lost, turning a late repair into protection against further loss.

Usage tips

  • This expression suits fixing a discovered error, such as correcting a process after one failure, while prevention refers to action taken before any failure.

Other meanings

  • take steps to put things rightidiom

Opposites

  • 未雨绸缪wèi yǔ chóu móuprepare before trouble strikesidiom
  • 有备无患yǒu bèi wú huànbe prepared and have no worriesidiom

Word lists with this word