Chinese characters and pinyin
Simplified: 亡羊补牢，为时未晚
Traditional: 亡羊補牢，為時未晚
Pinyin: wáng yáng bǔ láo, wéi shí bù wǎn
Literal translation
Repair the pen after losing a sheep; it is not yet too late.
Natural English meaning
Correcting a problem after a loss can still prevent further harm.
Closest English equivalent
Better late than never.
The Chinese story emphasizes learning from one loss to prevent the next.
When to use it
Use it when someone can still take meaningful corrective action.
When not to use it
It is not an excuse to postpone action knowingly.
Example sentence
现在开始备份资料还来得及，亡羊补牢，为时未晚。
It is not too late to start backing up the files and prevent another loss.
Origin and cultural context
Based on an advisory story in the Strategies of the Warring States.
Classification: proverb. This label distinguishes a complete proverb or popular saying from a compact idiom or a quotation preserved from a classical text.
