Three is the limit - if it fails this time too, just give up.
Tips
history
Recorded in 西游记 (Journey to the West), chapter 27: 常言道：'事不过三' - 'as the saying goes, a thing should not happen more than three times.' Used to set a final-warning tone before withdrawing patience.
usage
Often spoken as a half-warning - the speaker is signaling that they've reached the limit of their tolerance after two prior failures or offences.
