一言既出，駟馬難追

Chinese
one sentence; something to say; brief remark already; since; both... (and...)
 
to go out; to come out; to occur
to go out; to come out; to occur; to produce; to go beyond; to rise; to put forth; to happen; (a measure word for dramas, plays, or operas)
 words cannot be taken back once they are spoken
trad. (一言既出，駟馬難追) 一言 既 出 ， 駟馬難追
simp. (一言既出，驷马难追) 一言 既 出 ， 驷马难追
Literally: “once said, a team of horses cannot unsay it”.

Etymology

Based on a passage in the Analects, Book 12 (《論語·顏淵》):

子貢曰：「惜乎！夫子之說君子也。駟不及舌。……」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
子贡曰：「惜乎！夫子之说君子也。驷不及舌。……」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Zǐgòng yuē: “Xī hū! Fūzǐ zhī shuō jūnzǐ yě. Sì bùjí shé.......” [Pinyin]
Zigong said: "How regrettable are your words about the superior person. A four-horse-team cannot overtake the tongue. [...]"

Pronunciation

  • Mandarin
    (Pinyin): yīyánjìchū, sìmǎnánzhuī
    (Zhuyin): ㄧ ㄧㄢˊ ㄐㄧˋ ㄔㄨ , ㄙˋ ㄇㄚˇ ㄋㄢˊ ㄓㄨㄟ
  • Cantonese (Jyutping): jat1 jin4 gei3 ceot1, si3 maa5 naan4 zeoi1
  • Mandarin
    • (Standard Chinese)+
      • Hanyu Pinyin: yīyánjìchū, sìmǎnánzhuī [Phonetic: yìyánjìchū, sìmǎnánzhuī]
      • Zhuyin: ㄧ ㄧㄢˊ ㄐㄧˋ ㄔㄨ , ㄙˋ ㄇㄚˇ ㄋㄢˊ ㄓㄨㄟ
      • Tongyong Pinyin: yiyánjìchu, sìhmǎnánjhuei
      • Wade–Giles: i1-yen2-chi4-chʻu1, ssŭ4-ma3-nan2-chui1
      • Yale: yī-yán-jì-chū-, sz̀-mǎ-nán-jwēi
      • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: iyanjihchu, syhmaananjuei
      • Palladius: ияньцзичу, сымананьчжуй (ijanʹcziču, symananʹčžuj)
      • Sinological IPA (key): /i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ jɛn³⁵ t͡ɕi⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰu⁵⁵ sz̩⁵¹ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹ nän³⁵ ʈ͡ʂu̯eɪ̯⁵⁵/
  • Cantonese

Idiom

一言既出，駟馬難追

  1. A word once spoken cannot be taken back; A promise must be kept

Descendants
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