chīhòuhuǐyào

吃后悔药

Word · VerbTraditional吃後悔藥

have regrets after the fact; wish one could take it back

Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma

Meanings

1 sense · 4 examples
1.

verb

to feel regret after something has happened; to wish one could undo a past action

informal

这是一个口语化的成语,比喻为已经发生的事情感到懊恼和遗憾,就像吃了能让人后悔的药一样,但现实中不存在这种药,强调为时已晚。常用于劝诫他人做事前要三思。

Nǐ你
xiàn现
zài在
shuō说
zhè这
xiē些
yǒu有
shén什
me么
yòng用
 ?
Shì世
shàng上
méi没
yǒu有
hòu后
huǐ悔
yào药
kě可
chī吃
 。

What's the use of saying these things now? There's no medicine for regret in this world.

Tā他
dāng当
chū初
méi没
tīng听
quàn劝
gào告
 ,
xiàn现
zài在
zhǐ只
néng能
chī吃
hòu后
huǐ悔
yào药
 。

He didn't listen to the advice back then, and now he can only regret it.

Show 2 more examples
Zuò做
jué决
dìng定
qián前
yào要
kǎo考
lǜ虑
qīng清
chu楚
 ,
miǎn免
de得
jiāng将
lái来
chī吃
hòu后
huǐ悔
yào药
 。

Think it through before making a decision, so you won't regret it later.

Kàn看
zhe着
zì自
jǐ己
huāng荒
fèi废
de的
xué学
yè业
 ,
tā他
xīn心
lǐ里
xiàng像
chī吃
le了
hòu后
huǐ悔
yào药
yī一
yàng样
nán难
shòu受
 。

Looking at his wasted studies, he felt as miserable as if he had taken a pill of regret.