吃一堑长一智

Pronunciation: chī yī qiàn zhǎng yī zhì Literal meaning: Gain wisdom through setbacks

Origin & Usage

Commonly used in classical Chinese, the idiom 吃一堑长一智 (chī yī qiàn zhǎng yī zhì) conveys the idea that experiencing setbacks (吃一堑, chī yī qiàn) leads to increased wisdom (长一智, zhǎng yī zhì). The term '堑' (qiàn) originally referred to a trench or pit, symbolizing difficulties or obstacles, while '智' (zhì) represents wisdom and insight. This idiom emphasizes learning from mistakes to avoid repeating them. The phrase is often used to encourage resilience and growth through adversity, similar to the English saying 'A fall into a pit, a gain in your wit.' It teaches that each failure can be a stepping stone to greater understanding and success.

Examples

English: "He believes that every mistake is a lesson, as one learns wisdom from setbacks."

Chinese: 他相信每一次错误都是一次教训，吃一堑长一智。