Definition
亡羊补牢 (wáng yáng bǔ láo) is a four-character idiom (成语) meaning 'to mend the pen after losing the sheep' — it advises taking corrective action after a loss, emphasizing that it's never too late to fix a problem. The phrase is often used to encourage someone not to dwell on past mistakes but to act now.
idiom
to take remedial action after a lossbetter late than never
Examples
- ，亡羊补牢，。Zhè cì kǎoshì méi kǎo hǎo, dàn wáng yáng bǔ láo, xià cì nǔlì jiù hǎo le.I didn't do well on this exam, but it's never too late to fix things — I'll work hard next time.
- ，亡羊补牢。Gōngsī chūxiàn le yìxiē wèntí, xiànzài wáng yáng bǔ láo hái láidejí.The company has run into some problems, but it's still not too late to take corrective action.
- ，亡羊补牢，。Bú yào huīxīn, wáng yáng bǔ láo, xiànzài kāishǐ gǎibiàn yě bù wǎn.Don't lose heart — it's never too late to change, so start now.
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