噬脐莫及 — “To regret something that cannot be undone”
噬脐莫及 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to regret something that cannot be undone”. To realize one's mistake too late to correct it; beyond the reach of regret. Literally, “Unable to reach one's navel to bite”.
噬脐莫及 Pronunciation and Pinyin
噬脐莫及 Character Breakdown
Stroke OrderExample Sentence with 噬脐莫及
Origin and Story of 噬脐莫及
During the Spring and Autumn period, King Wen of Chu requested passage through the state of Deng to attack the state of Shen.
King Qihou of Deng, who was King Wen of Chu's uncle, personally welcomed his nephew.
King Qihou's son warned his father to be wary of King Wen, but King Qihou disregarded the advice and allowed King Wen to proceed.
After King Wen successfully conquered Shen, on his return journey, he unexpectedly attacked the state of Deng.
King Qihou was filled with deep regret for his earlier decision, but by then, it was already too late to do anything about it.
Idioms Related to 噬脐莫及
More idioms starting with 噬
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Open the tool →Questions about 噬脐莫及
What does 噬脐莫及 mean?
噬脐莫及 (shì qí mò jí) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to regret something that cannot be undone”.
How do you pronounce 噬脐莫及?
噬脐莫及 is pronounced shì qí mò jí in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 噬脐莫及 literally mean?
Literally, 噬脐莫及 means “Unable to reach one's navel to bite”. It is used to mean “to regret something that cannot be undone”.
Where does 噬脐莫及 come from?
噬脐莫及 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 噬脐莫及?
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。