未雨綢繆

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See also: 未雨绸缪

Chinese

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not yet; 8th earthly branch; 1–3 p.m. rain bound tightly; bound round and round; winding round
trad. (未雨綢繆) 綢繆
simp. (未雨绸缪) 绸缪
Literally: “before it rains, bind around with silk”.

Etymology

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From the Classic of Poetry, poem 155 (《詩經·豳風·鴟鴞》):

桑土綢繆牖戶 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
桑土绸缪牖户 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11th – 7th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Dài tiān zhī wèi yīn, 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.

Pronunciation

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Idiom

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未雨綢繆

  1. (figurative) to plan ahead; to prepare before it is too late; to take precautions
    未雨綢繆臨危不亂 [MSC, trad.]
    未雨绸缪临危不乱 [MSC, simp.]
    Wèiyǔchóumóu cái néng línwēibùluàn. [Pinyin]
    Only by taking precautions can you remain calm in the face of danger.

Antonyms

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Descendants

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Sino-Xenic (未雨綢繆):

Japanese

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Kanji in this term

Grade: 4

Grade: 1
ちゅう
Hyōgai
びゅう
Hyōgai
on'yomi
Alternative spelling
綢繆未雨

Idiom

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()()(ちゅう)(びゅう) (miuchūbyū

  1. to prepare before it is too late

Antonyms

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