jan1 gaam3 bat1 jyun5殷鑒不遠殷鉴不远
Jyutpingjan1 gaam3 bat1 jyun5
Yaleyān gaam bāt yúhn
Definition
An warning or lesson from the recent past; an admonition that is close at hand.
writtenothercommunication
How it's used
This idiom originates from the Classic of Poetry and carries a formal, cautionary tone often used in political or serious social commentary. It serves as a reminder that past failures are not distant history but are relevant to current situations. While it is a four character idiom, it is frequently integrated into spoken sentences to emphasize that a repeat of a disaster is imminent if one is not careful.
Examples
The mistakes of our predecessors are a clear warning, we must be careful.
Don't you remember the lesson from last time? The warning is right before our eyes.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a simple description of history, but it specifically implies a warning or a negative example that should be avoided. It is not used to describe positive historical lessons or general past events.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
