未雨綢繆

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See also: 未雨绸缪

Chinese

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

Etymology

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

迨天之未陰雨，徹彼桑土，綢繆牖戶。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
迨天之未阴雨，彻彼桑土，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 yīnyǔ, chè bǐ sāngdù, chóumóu yǒuhù.
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

Idiom

未雨綢繆

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

Antonyms

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (未雨綢繆):

Japanese

Kanji in this term
未 雨 綢 繆
み
Grade: 4 		う
Grade: 1 		ちゅう
Hyōgai 		びゅう
Hyōgai
on'yomi
Alternative spelling
綢繆未雨

Idiom

未(み)雨(う)綢(ちゅう)繆(びゅう) • (miuchūbyū) 

  1. to prepare before it is too late

Antonyms

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