马后炮 mǎhòupào moving the cannon after moving the horse away
(Chinese chess) moving the cannon after moving the horse away; (figuratively) a useless action or comment; something done after it's too late
How to remember 马后炮: 马 horse (Kangxi radical 187) + 后 back + 炮 cannon = moving the cannon after moving the horse away.
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How it is used
- Lit. a chess 'cannon behind the horse' - belated action or hindsight advice too late to help - 事后诸葛亮，放马后炮 (shìhòu Zhūgě Liàng, fàng mǎhòupào) an after-the-fact know-it-all offering useless hindsight.
- Chiefly figurative: pointing out what should have been done once it's already too late.
- 放马后炮 = to say 'I told you so' after the fact; colloquial, mildly mocking.