regret not acting differently from the start
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesverb
to regret not having done something differently from the start; to rue the original decision
literaryA four-character idiom used to express deep remorse about a past action or choice. Often appears in the structure '早知如此，悔不当初' (Had I known earlier, I would never have done it).
Zǎo早
zhī知
rú如
cǐ此
，
huǐ悔
bù不
dāng当
chū初
。
Had I known it would come to this, I would never have done it in the first place.
Tā他
xiàn现
zài在
pò破
chǎn产
le了
，
huǐ悔
bù不
dāng当
chū初
tīng听
le了
péng朋
you友
de的
huà话
。
Now that he has gone bankrupt, he deeply regrets ever listening to his friend's advice.
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Kàn看
dào到
ér儿
zi子
zǒu走
shàng上
qí歧
tú途
，
fù父
mǔ母
huǐ悔
bù不
dāng当
chū初
méi没
yǒu有
hǎo好
hǎo好
guǎn管
jiào教
。
Seeing their son go astray, the parents regret not having disciplined him properly from the start.