spilled water cannot be retrieved; irretrievable; irreversible
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesidiom
spilled water cannot be gathered back; what is done cannot be undone; irretrievable
Originally refers to water that has been spilled and cannot be retrieved. Used metaphorically to describe situations, decisions, or relationships (especially divorce) that have become irreversible facts. The idiom originates from the story of Jiang Ziya (Taigong Wang) who poured out water to signify that he could not remarry his divorced wife.
Since they have already divorced, the water has been spilled and cannot be retrieved; each should start a new life.
The contract has already been signed; what is done cannot be undone, so we can only follow the terms.
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He regrets his original decision, but the water has already been spilled and cannot be retrieved; everything is irreversible.
Spilled water cannot be retrieved; since you have already broken up, do not dwell on the past.