一言既出，駟馬難追

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Chinese

one sentence; something to say; brief remark already; since; both... (and...)
to go out; to come out; to occur
to go out; to come out; to occur; to produce; to go beyond; to rise; to put forth; to happen; (a measure word for dramas, plays, or operas)
 
 words cannot be taken back once they are spoken
trad. (一言既出，駟馬難追) 一言 既 出 ， 駟馬難追
simp. (一言既出，驷马难追) 一言 既 出 ， 驷马难追
Literally: “once said, a team of horses cannot unsay it”.

Etymology

Based on a passage in the Analects, Book 12 (《論語·顏淵》):

子貢曰：「惜乎！夫子之說君子也。駟不及舌。……」
子贡曰：「惜乎！夫子之说君子也。驷不及舌。……」
From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Zǐgòng yuē: “Xī hū! Fūzǐ zhī shuō jūnzǐ yě. Sì bùjí shé.......”
Zigong said: "How regrettable are your words about the superior person. A four-horse-team cannot overtake the tongue. "

Pronunciation

Idiom

一言既出，駟馬難追

  1. A word once spoken cannot be taken back; A promise must be kept

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (一言既出，駟馬難追):

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