三思而行

sānsī'érxíng
idiom

Meanings

  1. 1 to think thrice before acting
  2. 2 to act only after careful deliberation

Examples

HSK 4
Tóuzī qián qǐng sānsī'érxíng.
Please think carefully before investing.
HSK 5
Cízhí zhèzhǒng dàshì, yídìng yào sānsī'érxíng.
For something as major as resigning, you must think it over carefully.

Tips

history
Cited in 《南齐书·公冶度》: 季文子三思而后行 - 'Ji Wenzi would think three times before acting.' The Analects 论语 records Confucius's dry response: 斯可矣 - 'Twice is enough', implying Ji was overthinking. The phrase survives as straightforward advice.
grammar
Literally 'three-think and-then act'. here is idiomatic 'many times', not literally three. is the classical conjunction linking thought to action.

Stroke Order

sān
ér
xíng