諺語 · a single proverb
前車之鑒
Simplified: 前车之鉴
What does 前車之鑒 (qián chē zhī jiàn) mean?
前車之鑒 (qián chē zhī jiàn) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "the overturned cart ahead is a warning to those behind." In use it means: Learn from the mistakes of those who went before you; other people's failures are free lessons. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Metal note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Horse.
Literally: "the overturned cart ahead is a warning to those behind."
The reading
The wreck is still on the road. The skid marks are visible. The driver behind has two options: feel sorry for the one in the ditch, or read the marks and take a different line. Empathy and learning are not mutually exclusive, but learning is the one that keeps you on the road.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Han Shu 漢書, Jia Yi 賈誼 tradition
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 Wisdom & Learning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Horse, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 前車之鑒 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 前車之鑒 (qián chē zhī jiàn) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Han Shu 漢書, Jia Yi 賈誼 tradition. 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 前車之鑒?
In Mandarin it is qián chē zhī jiàn. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 前車之鑒 aloud in Mandarin.