# 覆水难收

fù shuǐ nán shōu

An irreversible act cannot easily be undone

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Spilled water is hard to gather again

**Traditional Chinese:** 覆水難收

**Register:** Reflective · general

[Choices & judgment](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/decisions)

## When to use it

Warn about words or decisions whose consequences cannot be reversed.

It stresses irreversibility, not that repairing harm is pointless.

## Understanding the expression

Water spreads quickly once spilled and cannot simply be placed back as though nothing happened. The expression applies that difficulty to actions, statements, and ruptured relationships. An apology may help, but it cannot erase the fact that the event occurred. The phrase often urges caution before acting. It can sound fatalistic afterward, so distinguish accepting irreversible facts from refusing any attempt to repair their remaining effects.

## Examples

话已说出口，覆水难收。

### Traditional Chinese

話已說出口，覆水難收。

huà yǐ shuō chū kǒu ， fù shuǐ nán shōu 。

The words are spoken and cannot be taken back.

文件公开后覆水难收，发布前要核对。

### Traditional Chinese

文件公開後覆水難收，發佈前要核對。

wén jiàn gōng kāi hòu fù shuǐ nán shōu ， fā bù qián yào hé duì 。

Once the document is public, the damage cannot easily be undone; check it first.

他们明白覆水难收，仍努力修复信任。

### Traditional Chinese

他們明白覆水難收，仍努力修復信任。

tā men míng bái fù shuǐ nán shōu ， réng nǔ lì xiū fù xìn rèn 。

They understood that the past could not be undone but still worked to rebuild trust.

冲动辞职可能覆水难收，先想清楚。

### Traditional Chinese

衝動辭職可能覆水難收，先想清楚。

chōng dòng cí zhí kě néng fù shuǐ nán shōu ， xiān xiǎng qīng chǔ 。

Resigning impulsively may be irreversible, so think carefully first.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 6, 2026.

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E8%A6%86%E6%B0%B4%E9%9B%A3%E6%94%B6)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=412&webMd=1&la=0)

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