前车之鉴
前车之鉴 (qián chē zhī jiàn) literally means “the cart ahead as a mirror” and expresses “learn from past mistakes”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving success and perseverance.
Also searched as: qian che zhi jian, qian che zhi jian,前车之鉴 meaning, 前车之鉴 in english
Learn from past mistakes
Pronunciation: qián chē zhī jiàn Literal meaning: The cart ahead as a mirror
Origin & Usage
The full image is a cart that has gone over in the road ahead: 前车覆，后车戒 — the cart in front overturns, the cart behind takes warning. The Book of Han preserves it in Jia Yi's memorial urging the young Han emperor to study why the Qin had collapsed so quickly, which gives the phrase its particular flavour. The lesson on offer is not drawn from your own failure but from watching somebody else's, early enough to steer. 鉴 is a bronze mirror, so what the wreck provides is a reflection. It is used wherever a predecessor's mistake is available and about to be repeated.
Examples
English: "We should learn from previous failures to avoid repeating them."
Chinese: 前车之鉴，提醒我们在做决策时要谨慎。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about success & perseverance
负重前行
fù zhòng qián xíng
Progress despite difficulties
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前程似锦
qián chéng sì jǐn
May your future be bright and splendid
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前途无量
qián tú wú liàng
Unlimited potential for future success
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一往无前
yī wǎng wú qián
Press forward courageously
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名列前茅
míng liè qián máo
Rank among the best; be at the top
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勇往直前
yǒng wǎng zhí qián
Persevere with courage
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螳臂当车
táng bì dāng chē
Futile resistance
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闭门造车
bì mén zào chē
Creating without practical feedback
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 前车之鉴 mean in English?
前车之鉴 (qián chē zhī jiàn) literally translates to “The cart ahead as a mirror” and is used to express “Learn from past mistakes”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Success & Perseverance category.
When is 前车之鉴 used?
Situation: We should learn from previous failures to avoid repeating them.
What is the pinyin for 前车之鉴?
The pinyin pronunciation for 前车之鉴 is “qián chē zhī jiàn”.