覆水難收
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See also: 覆水难收
Chinese[edit]
to cover; to overflow; to reply to a letter to cover; to overflow; to reply to a letter; to overturn; to capsize |
water; river | disaster; distress; to scold disaster; distress; to scold; difficult (to...); problem; difficulty; difficult; not good |
to receive; to accept; to collect to receive; to accept; to collect; in care of (used on address line after name) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
trad. (覆水難收) | 覆 | 水 | 難 | 收 | |
simp. (覆水难收) | 覆 | 水 | 难 | 收 | |
Literally: “It is difficult to retrieve water after (its container) has been knocked over”. |
Etymology[edit]
First attested in the Book of the Later Han.
Pronunciation[edit]
Idiom[edit]
覆水難收