亡羊补牢 in English wang2 yang2 bu3 lao2 Meaning

Meanings

  • literally (word for word) to mend the pen after sheep are lost (idiomatic expression)
  • metaphorically to act belatedly
  • better late than never
  • to lock the stable door after the horse has bolted

Simplified Characters

亡 羊 补 牢

Traditional Characters

亡 羊 補 牢

Pinyin

wang2 yang2 bu3 lao2

Literal

Literal explanation, with pronunciation and meaning of each character.

亡wang2to die 羊yang2surname Yang 补bu3to repair 牢lao2firm