往者不可及，來者猶可待

Chinese
 
past actions; past events; the past
past actions; past events; the past; past times; former times
 cannot; should not; must not to reach; and future generations; the future; future events as if; still
 
to be about to happen; about to; on the point of
to be about to happen; about to; on the point of; going to; soon; at hand; around the corner
trad. (往者不可及，來者猶可待) 往者 不可 及 ， 來者 猶 可待
simp. (往者不可及，来者犹可待) 往者 不可 及 ， 来者 犹 可待

Etymology

From a phrase in the Analects, Book 18 (《論語·微子》) with slightly different wording:

楚狂接輿歌而過孔子曰：「鳳兮！鳳兮！何德之衰？往者不可諫，來者猶可追。已而，已而！今之從政者殆而！」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
楚狂接舆歌而过孔子曰：「凤兮！凤兮！何德之衰？往者不可谏，来者犹可追。已而，已而！今之从政者殆而！」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Chǔ kuáng Jiē Yú gē ér guò Kǒngzǐ yuē: “Fèng xī! Fèng xī! Hé dé zhī shuāi? Wǎng zhě bùkě jiàn, lái zhě yóu kě zhuī. yǐ'ér, yǐ'ér! Jīn zhī cóngzhèngzhě dài ér!” [Pinyin]
The madman of Chu, Jie Yu (接輿), passed by Confucius, singing and saying, "O Feng! O Feng! How is your virtue degenerated! As to the past, reproof is useless; but the future may still be provided against. Give up your vain pursuit. Give up your vain pursuit. Peril awaits those who now engage in affairs of government."

Pronunciation

  • Mandarin
    (Pinyin): wǎngzhě bùkějí láizhě yóu kědài dài
    (Zhuyin): ㄨㄤˇ ㄓㄜˇ ㄅㄨˋ ㄎㄜˇ ㄐㄧˊ ㄌㄞˊ ㄓㄜˇ ㄧㄡˊ ㄎㄜˇ ㄉㄞˋ ㄉㄞˋ
  • Mandarin
    • (Standard Chinese)+
      • Hanyu Pinyin: wǎngzhě bùkějí láizhě yóu kědài dài [Phonetic: wángzhěbùkějíláizhěyóukědàidài]
      • Zhuyin: ㄨㄤˇ ㄓㄜˇ ㄅㄨˋ ㄎㄜˇ ㄐㄧˊ ㄌㄞˊ ㄓㄜˇ ㄧㄡˊ ㄎㄜˇ ㄉㄞˋ ㄉㄞˋ
      • Tongyong Pinyin: wǎngjhě bùkějí láijhě yóu kědài dài
      • Wade–Giles: wang3-chê3 pu4-kʻo3-chi2 lai2-chê3 yu2 kʻo3-tai4 tai4
      • Yale: wǎng-jě bù-kě-jí lái-jě yóu kě-dài dài
      • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: woangjee bukeejyi laijee you keeday day
      • Palladius: ванчжэ букэцзи лайчжэ ю кэдай дай (vančžɛ bukɛczi lajčžɛ ju kɛdaj daj)
      • Sinological IPA (key): /wɑŋ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ pu⁵¹ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕi³⁵ laɪ̯³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ joʊ̯³⁵ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ taɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ taɪ̯⁵¹/

Idiom

往者不可及，來者猶可待

  1. One cannot change the past, only the future.
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