諺語 · a single proverb
既往不咎
What does 既往不咎 (jì wǎng bù jiù) mean?
既往不咎 (jì wǎng bù jiù) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "do not blame what is already past." In use it means: Let go of past mistakes and focus forward; holding grudges wastes energy that could build something new. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Earth note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Pig.
Literally: "do not blame what is already past."
The reading
The pot is broken. You can spend the afternoon examining whose hand slipped, or you can spend it making a new pot. Only one of these activities ends with a pot. Accountability matters. Dwelling does not. Know the difference by asking whether the conversation is producing a repair or just producing more anger.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Analects 論語, Book 3 (Ba Yi 八佾, ch. 21)
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Adversity & Resilience, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Pig, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 既往不咎 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 既往不咎 (jì wǎng bù jiù) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Analects 論語, Book 3 (Ba Yi 八佾, ch. 21). It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 既往不咎?
In Mandarin it is jì wǎng bù jiù. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 既往不咎 aloud in Mandarin.