Chinese word

教训

Pronunciation

Pinyinjiào xùn

Meaning

  • nounlesson

Example

我从这次失败中得到了教训。wǒ cóng zhè cì shī bài zhōng dé dào le jiào xùn

I learned a lesson from this failure.

Illustration for 教训 (lesson)

More examples

他一再犯错，始终没有吸取教训。tā yí zài fàn cuò shǐ zhōng méi yǒu xī qǔ jiào xùn

He kept making mistakes and never learned his lesson.

Core concept

A piece of guidance that stays in mind because an experience or mistake gives it weight.

Common phrases

  • 吸取教训xī qǔ jiào xùn

    learn a lesson

  • 得到教训dé dào jiào xùn

    learn a lesson

Similar words

经验jīng yàn: Knowledge and skill gained through actual experience.
道理dào lǐ: A sound principle or line of reasoning about how things work or should be done.

Definition in Chinese

从经历、错误或别人的劝诫中总结出的有警示意义的教导或格言，也可泛指从中得到的经验。cóng jīng lì cuò wù huò bié rén de quàn jiè zhōng zǒng jié chū de yǒu jǐng shì yì yì de jiào dǎo huò gé yán yě kě fàn zhǐ cóng zhōng dé dào de jīng yàn

Word origin

教 (jiào, "teach") + 训 (xùn, "admonish") presents a lesson as instruction with a serious reminder about future conduct.

Usage tips

  • In conversation, 教训 (jiàoxùn, "lesson") can describe a personal takeaway, but applying it to another person's behavior can sound like a rebuke rather than friendly advice.

Other meanings

  • teach a lessonverb
  • warningnoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word