How do you pronounce 悔之无及?

悔之无及 is pronounced huǐ zhī wú jí in Mandarin Chinese.

What does 悔之无及 literally mean?

Literally, 悔之无及 means “Regret it, no longer able to reach”. It is used to mean “to regret something when it is already too late to change or rectify it; to regret in vain”.

Where does 悔之无及 come from?

悔之无及 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.

悔之无及 — “Regret it, no longer able to reach”

悔之无及 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to regret something when it is already too late to change or rectify it; to regret in vain”. Literally, “Regret it, no longer able to reach”.

Frequency

悔之无及 Pronunciation and Pinyin

悔huǐ
之zhī
无wú
及jí

悔之无及 Character Breakdown

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
悔	huǐ	10	regret past mistakes
之	zhī	4	possessive or connective particle
无	wú	4	without, not having
及	jí	4	reach, and, in time

Example Sentence with 悔之无及

如果你不珍惜与家人的相处时光，将来一定会悔之无及

If you don't cherish the time spent with your family, you will surely regret it when it's too late.

Origin and Story of 悔之无及

During the Spring and Autumn period, King Fuchai of the State of Wu was preparing to attack the State of Qi. King Goujian of the State of Yue brought his people to show support for Fuchai. Wu Zixu, an advisor to King Fuchai, warned him that the State of Yue was the true menace and should be eliminated. He cautioned that if Yue was allowed to grow stronger, it would be too late for regrets when they eventually sought revenge.

Fuchai, however, disregarded Wu Zixu's advice, alienated him, and eventually ordered him to commit suicide.

Eleven years later, the now powerful State of Yue launched a decisive attack and completely destroyed the State of Wu.

Idioms Related to 悔之无及

Synonyms of 悔之无及

Antonyms of 悔之无及

More idioms starting with 悔

Questions about 悔之无及

What does 悔之无及 mean?: 悔之无及 (huǐ zhī wú jí) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to regret something when it is already too late to change or rectify it; to regret in vain”.
How do you pronounce 悔之无及?: 悔之无及 is pronounced huǐ zhī wú jí in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 悔之无及 literally mean?: Literally, 悔之无及 means “Regret it, no longer able to reach”. It is used to mean “to regret something when it is already too late to change or rectify it; to regret in vain”.
Where does 悔之无及 come from?: 悔之无及 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 悔之无及?: 后悔也来不及了。

Copy the pinyin for 悔之无及 →Choose tone marks or tone numbers and copy the complete four-character reading.Read Chinese vocabulary and idiom guides →Continue with words, phrases, and idioms explained through natural examples.