Chinese characters and pinyin
Simplified: 未雨绸缪
Traditional: 未雨綢繆
Pinyin: wèi yǔ chóu móu
Literal translation
Before the rain, bind and repair the nest’s doors.
Natural English meaning
Prepare for trouble before it arrives.
Closest English equivalent
Fix the roof while the sun is shining.
Both use weather and shelter to advocate preparation in good times.
When to use it
Use it for risk planning, savings, maintenance, or contingency work.
When not to use it
Preparation should remain proportionate rather than becoming constant fear.
Example sentence
旺季前先检查系统，这是未雨绸缪。
Checking the system before peak season is fixing the roof before the rain.
Origin and cultural context
The image comes from the ‘Owl’ poem in the Book of Songs, where a bird repairs its nest before the rain; it later became a standard idiom for advance preparation.
Classification: idiom. This label distinguishes a complete proverb or popular saying from a compact idiom or a quotation preserved from a classical text.
