前车之覆，后车之鉴

qián chē zhī fù , hòu chē zhī jiàn

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Definitions

1. lit. the cart in front overturns, a warning to the following cart (idiom); fig. draw lesson from the failure of one's predecessor
2. learn from past mistake
3. once bitten twice shy

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Child Words of 前车之覆，后车之鉴

• 之 之 zhī: (possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的[de])
• 前 前 qián: front
• 后 后 hòu: empress
• 车 车 chē: car
• 车 车 jū: war chariot (archaic)
• 后车之鉴 后车之鉴 hòu chē zhī jiàn: lit. warning to the following cart (idiom); don't follow the track of an overturned cart
• 覆 覆 fù: to cover
• 鉴 鉴 jiàn: to reflect