引以为戒

引以為戒

yǐnyǐwéijiè

idiom #42,343

Meanings

1 to take as a warning (idiom)
2 to learn a lesson from a bad example
3 to heed as a cautionary lesson

Characters

to draw; to take

as; to use (classical)

to be; to regard as

warning; to guard against

Examples

我们应该引以为戒，避免再犯类似错误。

Wǒmen yīnggāi yǐnyǐwéijiè, bìmiǎn zài fàn lèisì cuòwù.

We should take this as a warning to avoid making similar mistakes.

他的失败值得我们引以为戒。

Tā de shībài zhídé wǒmen yǐnyǐwéijiè.

His failure is worth learning a lesson from.

历史的教训要引以为戒。

Lìshǐ de jiàoxùn yào yǐnyǐwéijiè.

The lessons of history must be heeded as warnings.

Tips

history

Inspired by 《国语·楚语下》: 人之求多闻善败，以鉴戒也 — people seek to know of successes and failures in order to take them as mirrors and warnings.

grammar

引以为 X 是 classical pattern: 'take [it] as X'. See also 引以为荣 (take as pride), 引以为耻 (take as shame). The object taken as warning is usually introduced before the phrase.

Stroke Order

引 yǐn

以 yǐ

为 wèi

戒 jiè