Chinese characters and pinyin
Simplified: 吃一堑，长一智
Traditional: 吃一塹，長一智
Pinyin: chī yí qiàn, zhǎng yí zhì
Literal translation
Suffer one setback; gain one measure of wisdom.
Natural English meaning
A mistake or setback can teach a valuable lesson.
Closest English equivalent
You live and learn.
The Chinese saying directly connects hardship with practical wisdom.
When to use it
Use it after someone has learned constructively from an error.
When not to use it
Avoid saying it while blame is still more urgent than learning.
Example sentence
这次准备不足，下次会更周全，吃一堑，长一智。
We were underprepared this time, but the setback taught us what to change.
Origin and cultural context
A traditional spoken saying that expresses learning through experience.
Classification: proverb. This label distinguishes a complete proverb or popular saying from a compact idiom or a quotation preserved from a classical text.
