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吃一堑，长一智

chī yī qiàn , zhǎng yī zhì

7-character word Traditional 吃一塹，長一智

What 吃一堑，长一智 means

1. Fall into the moat and you'll be wiser next time (idiom); One only learns from one's mistakes.

The characters in 吃一堑，长一智

• 吃chīto eat; to consume; to eat at (a cafeteria etc); to eradicate; to destroy
• 一yīone; single; a (article)
• 堑qiàn(bound form) moat; chasm
• 长chánglong; (bound form) length; (bound form) strong point; forte
• 一yīone; single; a (article)
• 智zhì(literary) wise; wisdom

Example sentences

• 吃一堑，长一智。
  Chīyīqiàn, zhǎngyīzhì.
  A fall into a pit, a gain in your wit.