痛定思痛

tòngdìngsītòng

idiom #61,998

Meanings

1 to reflect on the pain after it has subsided
2 to learn the lessons of a painful experience
3 sober reflection after hardship

Characters

to settle; to calm

to think; to reflect

Examples

失败以后，他痛定思痛，重新制定了计划。

Shībài yǐhòu, tā tòngdìngsītòng, chóngxīn zhìdìng le jìhuà.

After the failure, he reflected hard on the lessons and redrew his plan.

我们要痛定思痛，吸取这次事故的教训。

Wǒmen yào tòngdìngsītòng, xīqǔ zhè cì shìgù de jiàoxùn.

We must soberly reflect on this accident and take its lessons to heart.

Tips

history

From Han Yu's (韩愈) Tang-dynasty letter 《与李翱书》: '如痛定之人，思当痛之时' — like one whose pain has eased looking back on when it hurt. Reflection only becomes useful once the heat of the moment has passed.

Stroke Order

痛 tòng

定 dìng

思 sī