Regret and second thoughts
10 phrases
早知道就不去了 - had I known, I wouldn't have gone - is the counterfactual pattern: 早知道 plus what you would have done differently. 吃一堑长一智 - one setback, one more wit - is the proverb that turns regret into something usable.
早知道就不去了。 zǎo zhīdào jiù bú qù le. — if I'd known I wouldn't have gone我有点后悔了。 wǒ yǒudiǎn hòuhuǐ le. — I regret it a bit当时应该说清楚。 dāngshí yīnggāi shuō qīngchu. — I should have been clearer at the time现在说这些也晚了。 xiànzài shuō zhèxiē yě wǎn le. — it's too late to say that now要是能重来一次。 yàoshi néng chóng lái yí cì. — if only I could do it over我犹豫了很久。 wǒ yóuyù le hěn jiǔ. — I hesitated for a long time事已至此。 shì yǐ zhì cǐ. — what's done is done我只能接受了。 wǒ zhǐ néng jiēshòu le. — I've no choice but to accept it以后小心一点。 yǐhòu xiǎoxīn yìdiǎn. — I'll be more careful next time吃一堑长一智。 chī yí qiàn zhǎng yí zhì. — a fall in the pit, a gain in your wit
← Asking a delicate question Softening & hinting 100 Thanks with weight behind it →