噬脐何及 — “Bite one's navel, but how can it be reached?”
噬脐何及 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to deeply regret a past action or missed opportunity, but it is now impossible to rectify the situation; too late for repentance”. Literally, “Bite one's navel, but how can it be reached?”.
噬脐何及 Pronunciation and Pinyin
噬脐何及 Character Breakdown
Stroke OrderExample Sentence with 噬脐何及
Origin and Story of 噬脐何及
During the Spring and Autumn Period, King Wen of Chu sought passage through the State of Deng to attack the State of Shen. Deng Qihou, the King of Deng, who was King Wen of Chu's maternal uncle, personally welcomed his nephew.
Deng Qihou's son warned his father to be cautious of King Wen, but Deng Qihou ignored the advice and allowed the Chu army to pass and attack Shen.
After King Wen of Chu conquered Shen, on his return journey, he turned his forces to attack the State of Deng.
Deng Qihou was filled with regret, but by then, it was utterly too late.
Idioms Related to 噬脐何及
Synonyms of 噬脐何及
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Open the tool →Questions about 噬脐何及
What does 噬脐何及 mean?
噬脐何及 (shì qí hé jí) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to deeply regret a past action or missed opportunity, but it is now impossible to rectify the situation; too late for repentance”.
How do you pronounce 噬脐何及?
噬脐何及 is pronounced shì qí hé jí in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 噬脐何及 literally mean?
Literally, 噬脐何及 means “Bite one's navel, but how can it be reached?”. It is used to mean “to deeply regret a past action or missed opportunity, but it is now impossible to rectify the situation; too late for repentance”.
Where does 噬脐何及 come from?
噬脐何及 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 噬脐何及?
噬脐：用嘴咬肚脐。象咬自己肚脐似的，够不着。比喻后悔也来不及。