zi3 ze2 cin1 leoi6 ，bit1 jau5 jat1 sat1智者千慮，必有一失智者千虑，必有一失
Jyutpingzi3 ze2 cin1 leoi6 ，bit1 jau5 jat1 sat1
Yaleji jé chīn leuih ，bīt yáuh yāt sāt
Definition
Even the wisest people make mistakes sometimes; even a thousand calculations by a wise person will have at least one error.
writtenother
How it's used
This idiom is used to comfort someone who has made a mistake or to remind others that no one is infallible. It is often paired with its counterpart 愚者千慮，必有一得 to emphasize that even a foolish person might occasionally have a good idea. It carries a tone of humility and philosophical acceptance rather than being a harsh critique of someone's intelligence.
Examples
Even the wisest make mistakes, don't take it to heart.
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a criticism of someone's intelligence, but it is actually a way to excuse or normalize human error. It is rarely used to mock someone for being wrong, but rather to point out the inevitability of mistakes.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
