三思而後行

See also: 三思而后行

Chinese

		to think carefully; to think twice	and; as well as; but (not) and; as well as; but (not); yet (not); (shows causal relation); (shows change of state); (shows contrast)	to carry out as a second step; to act later
trad. (三思而後行)		三思	而	後行
simp. (三思而后行)		三思	而	后行
Literally: “think three (several) times then act”.

Etymology

From the Analects, Book 5 (《論語·公冶長》):

季文子三思而後行。子聞之，曰：『再，斯可矣。』 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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季文子三思而后行。子闻之，曰：『再，斯可矣。』 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Jì Wén Zǐ sānsī ér hòuxíng. Zǐ wén zhī, yuē: ‘Zài, sī kě yǐ.’ [Pinyin]

Ji Wen thought thrice, and then acted. When the Master was informed of it, he said, "Twice may do."

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): sānsī ér hòuxíng, sànsī ér hòuxíng

  (Zhuyin): ㄙㄢ ㄙ ㄦˊ ㄏㄡˋ ㄒㄧㄥˊ, ㄙㄢˋ ㄙ ㄦˊ ㄏㄡˋ ㄒㄧㄥˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): saam³ si¹ ji⁴ hau⁶ hang⁴
• Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): sàm-su jî hiō hêng / sàm-su lî hiō hêng

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: sānsī ér hòuxíng
    • Zhuyin: ㄙㄢ ㄙ ㄦˊ ㄏㄡˋ ㄒㄧㄥˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: sansih ér hòusíng
    • Wade–Giles: san¹-ssŭ¹ êrh² hou⁴-hsing²
    • Yale: sān-sz̄ ér hòu-syíng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: sansy erl howshyng
    • Palladius: саньсы эр хоусин (sanʹsy er xousin)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sän⁵⁵ sz̩⁵⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ xoʊ̯⁵¹ ɕiŋ³⁵/
      
  • (Standard Chinese, variant)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: sànsī ér hòuxíng
    • Zhuyin: ㄙㄢˋ ㄙ ㄦˊ ㄏㄡˋ ㄒㄧㄥˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: sànsih ér hòusíng
    • Wade–Giles: san⁴-ssŭ¹ êrh² hou⁴-hsing²
    • Yale: sàn-sz̄ ér hòu-syíng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: sannsy erl howshyng
    • Palladius: саньсы эр хоусин (sanʹsy er xousin)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sän⁵¹ sz̩⁵⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ xoʊ̯⁵¹ ɕiŋ³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: saam³ si¹ ji⁴ hau⁶ hang⁴
    • Yale: saam sī yìh hauh hàhng
    • Cantonese Pinyin: saam³ si¹ ji⁴ hau⁶ hang⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: sam³ xi¹ yi⁴ heo⁶ heng⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /saːm³³ siː⁵⁵ jiː²¹ hɐu̯²² hɐŋ²¹/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Kaohsiung)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sàm-su jî hiō hêng
    • Tâi-lô: sàm-su jî hiō hîng
    • Phofsit Daibuun: sarmsw jii hioi heeng
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /sam²¹⁻⁴¹ su⁴⁴ zi²³⁻³³ hiɤ³³⁻²¹ hiɪŋ²³/
  • (Hokkien: Taipei)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sàm-su lî hiō hêng
    • Tâi-lô: sàm-su lî hiō hîng
    • Phofsit Daibuun: sarmsw lii hioi heeng
    • IPA (Taipei): /sam¹¹⁻⁵³ su⁴⁴ li²⁴⁻¹¹ hio³³⁻¹¹ hiɪŋ²⁴/

Proverb

三思而後行

1. look before you leap

Synonyms

• 三思而行 (sānsī'érxíng)