驷不及舌sì bù jí shéa word (lightly) spoken goes faster than a team of four horses; what’s said can never be unsaid
❍ 惜乎，夫子之说，君子也，～。(《论语·颜渊》) Alas! Your words,sir,show you to bea superior man,but four horses cannot overtake the tongue.
❍ 事后，才知道半农颇不高兴了，“～”，也没有法子。(《鲁迅选集》 Ⅳ—77) I heard afterwards that he took offence,but “what’s said can never be unsaid”—it was too late. 驷不及舌sì bù jí shé驷：指驷马；不及：追不上。驷马再快，也追不上说出去的话。形容话一说出口就难以收回。用以表示说话应该慎重。A word spoken goes faster than a team of four horses. What’s said can never be unsaid. |