to lock the door after the thief has gone; belated precautions
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
to take precautions only after an incident has occurred; to lock the stable door after the horse has bolted
Also commonly said as 贼去关门 (zéi qù guān mén). Carries a negative connotation of acting too late to be effective.
Wǒ我
men们
yīng应
gāi该
tí提
qián前
zuò做
hǎo好
zhǔn准
bèi备
，
bù不
néng能
děng等
dào到
zéi贼
zǒu走
guān关
mén门
。
We should prepare in advance instead of waiting to take precautions after the damage is done.
Xiàn现
zài在
cái才
xiǎng想
qǐ起
mǎi买
bǎo保
xiǎn险
，
jiǎn简
zhí直
shì是
zéi贼
zǒu走
guān关
mén门
。
Only thinking of buying insurance now is simply locking the door after the thief has gone.
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Gōng公
sī司
zǒng总
shì是
zài在
chū出
shì事
hòu后
cái才
jiā加
qiáng强
ān安
quán全
jiǎn检
chá查
，
zhēn真
shì是
zéi贼
zǒu走
guān关
mén门
。
The company always strengthens safety inspections only after accidents happen; it's truly a case of closing the barn door after the horse has bolted.