Definition
This four-character idiom literally means 'the wood has already been made into a boat.' It is used to say that a situation is already settled and cannot be changed — equivalent to 'what's done is done' or 'the die is cast.' You use it when there is no point in regretting or trying to reverse something that has already happened.
id.
what's done is donethe die is castthere's no use crying over spilt milk
Examples
- ，木已成舟，。Shì dào rújīn, mù yǐ chéng zhōu, hòuhuǐ yě méiyǒu yòng le.Now that things have come to this, what's done is done — there's no use regretting it.
- ，木已成舟，。Jìrán hétong yǐjīng qiān le, mù yǐ chéng zhōu, wǒmen jiù àn jìhuà zhíxíng ba.Since the contract has been signed, the die is cast — let's just execute the plan.
- 木已成舟，。mù yǐ chéng zhōu, nǐ zài zěnme jiěshì yě méi yòng le.What's done is done — no matter how much you explain, it's useless.
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