先见之明

先見之明

xiānjiànzhīmíng

idiom #33,026

Meanings

1 foresight
2 the wisdom to see things coming
3 prescience

Characters

(possessive particle)

clarity, insight

Examples

他早年投资房产，很有先见之明。

Tā zǎonián tóuzī fángchǎn, hěn yǒu xiānjiànzhīmíng.

Investing in property years ago showed real foresight.

这个决定需要先见之明。

Zhège juédìng xūyào xiānjiànzhīmíng.

This decision requires foresight.

Tips

history

From 《后汉书·杨彪传》: 愧无日磾先见之明，犹怀老牛舐犊之爱 — Yang Biao lamenting he lacked the foresight of Jin Midi (金日磾), who had executed his own wayward son.

grammar

Nearly always paired with 有/没有: 有先见之明 ('to have foresight'), 缺乏先见之明 ('to lack foresight').

Stroke Order

先 xiān

见 jiàn

之 zhī

明 míng