🧠 三思而后行 sān sī ér hòu xíng – Think Before You Act

🧠 三思而后行 sān sī ér hòu xíng – Think Before You Act

🔍 What It Means

三思而后行 (sān sī ér hòu xíng) literally means “think three times before acting.”

Word-for-word:

  • 三 (sān) – three
  • 思 (sī) – to think
  • 而后 (ér hòu) – and then
  • 行 (xíng) – to act / to do

It means you should think carefully before making a decision — especially important ones.

In English, it’s like saying:

  • 🧘 “Look before you leap.”
  • 🤔 “Think twice before you act.”

Or in this case… three times! 😉

🏺 Where It Comes From

This idiom comes from The Analects of Confucius (论语 Lún yǔ).

A student once said:

— “When I plan something, I always think it over three times before acting.”

Confucius replied,

— “Twice is probably enough.” 😄

But the meaning of this idiom became a little different later.

Now it simply means: think carefully before doing anything important.

💬 How to Use It

Use 三思而后行 to encourage someone (or yourself!) to slow down, think carefully, and avoid rushing into things.

  • ✅ It’s a positive idiom — wise and thoughtful.
  • 🗣 Often used in serious situations or when giving advice.

🎯 Real Examples

1. 买房子前一定要三思而后行，不能太冲动。

  • Mǎi fángzi qián yídìng yào sānsī ér hòu xíng, bùnéng tài chōngdòng.
  • 👉🏼 You must think carefully before buying a house — don’t be impulsive.


2. 做决定的时候，不要着急，记住要三思而后行。

  • Zuò juédìng de shíhòu, búyào zháojí, jìzhù yào sānsī ér hòu xíng.
  • 👉🏼 When making a decision, don’t rush. Remember to think before you act.

⚠️ Common Mistakes (Watch Out!)

  • ❌ Mistake: Thinking it means you must literally think three times.
  • ✅ Correct: “Three” is symbolic — it simply means think carefully, not literally count. 😊

💡 Memory Tip

Imagine yourself standing at a crossroads…

You don’t rush forward — you think once, twice, three times…

Then you take the best path. 🛤️

That’s what 三思而后行 is all about.

✍🏻 Interactive Practice

Translate this sentence into English:

  • 做重要决定的时候，我们要三思而后行。

Answer:

  • When making important decisions, we should think carefully before acting.

🌟 Final Thoughts

In a world that moves fast, 三思而后行 reminds us to slow down and think with clarity.

Before you speak, act, or decide —

✨Take a breath. Reflect. And choose wisely. 🌿


    👉 Stay tuned for the next idiom in this series!