Chinese idiom · 成语
覆水难收
Meaning
What’s done cannot be undone; irreversible actions.
Character by character
Origin and story
Traditional anecdoteThe spilled-water image has more than one textual setting. In Hou Han Shu (後漢書), volume 69, He Miao warns He Jin that spilled water cannot be recovered while urging caution over conflict with the palace eunuchs. Here the point is the difficulty of undoing a political decision.
A much later anecdote in Wang Mao’s Yeke Congshu (野客叢書), volume 28, says Jiang Taigong’s former wife sought reconciliation after he became prominent. He poured water on the ground and asked her to collect it. That traditional story illustrates a broken marriage, but should not be treated as securely documented Zhou history. Modern usage extends the image to irreversible words or actions.
Sources and further reading
In everyday life
伤人的话说出口就覆水难收，发消息前最好再想一想。
Hurtful words cannot be taken back once spoken, so think again before sending the message.
Stresses consequences that cannot readily be undone, rather than declaring all reconciliation impossible.