未雨綢繆
See also: 未雨绸缪
Chinese
not yet; 8th earthly branch; 1–3 p.m. | rain | bound tightly; bound round and round; winding round | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
trad. (未雨綢繆) | 未 | 雨 | 綢繆 | |
simp. (未雨绸缪) | 未 | 雨 | 绸缪 | |
Literally: “before it rains, bind around with silk”. |
Etymology
From the Classic of Poetry, poem 155 (《詩經·豳風·鴟鴞》):
- 迨天之未陰雨,徹彼桑土,綢繆牖戶。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
- From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11th – 7th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
- Dài tiān zhī wèi yīnyǔ, chè bǐ sāngdù, chóumóu yǒuhù. [Pinyin]
- Before the sky was dark with rain,
I gathered the roots of the mulberry tree,
And bound round and round my window and door.
迨天之未阴雨,彻彼桑土,绸缪牖户。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]
Pronunciation
Idiom
未雨綢繆
- (figurative) to plan ahead; to prepare before it is too late; to take precautions
- 宜未雨而綢繆,毋臨渴而掘井。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]
- From: Zhu Yongchun, Zhu Zi's Family Maxims, 17th century CE
- Yí wèi yǔ ér chóumóu, wú lín kě ér jué jǐng. [Pinyin]
- One should, when it is not yet raining, bind tightly the window. One should not wait until one is thirsty to dig a well.
i.e. One should prepare before it is too late.
宜未雨而绸缪,毋临渴而掘井。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]
Descendants
Japanese
Kanji in this term | |||
---|---|---|---|
未 | 雨 | 綢 | 繆 |
み Grade: 4 |
う Grade: 1 |
ちゅう Hyōgaiji |
びゅう Hyōgaiji |
on’yomi |
Alternative spelling |
---|
綢繆未雨 |
Idiom
未雨綢繆 • (miuchūbyū)
- to prepare before it is too late
Antonyms
- 臨渇掘井 (rinkatsukussei)
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