亡羊补牢 wángyáng-bǔláo literally to mend the pen after sheep are lost
literally to mend the pen after sheep are lost (idiom); figuratively to act belatedly; better late than never; to lock the stable door after the horse has bolted
How to remember 亡羊补牢: 亡 perish + 羊 sheep + 补 to fix + 牢 pen = literally to mend the pen after sheep are lost.
Characters
How it is used
- 'Mend the pen after the sheep are lost' - to fix a problem after (but not too late after) suffering a loss: 亡羊补牢，为时未晚 (wángyáng-bǔláo, wéishí wèi wǎn) better late than never.
- Usually encouraging: it's still worth acting to prevent further loss, unlike English 'shutting the barn door too late' which is purely rueful.
- 补 = to repair, 牢 = the pen/fold; a set idiom of belated but useful correction.
Example sentences
- 亡羊补牢。 Wángyángbǔláo.Better late than never.