迷途知返 mítu zhī fǎn to turn back from a wrong path

Explanation

比喻迷失方向后，能够认识到错误并改正。强调了知错能改的重要性。

A metaphor for someone who recognizes their mistakes and corrects them after losing their way. It emphasizes the importance of being able to admit mistakes and correct them.

Origin Story

话说东汉末年，群雄逐鹿，天下大乱。袁术占据淮南，自封为帝，意气风发，却不知大势已去。他的部下劝他放弃称帝，迷途知返，袁术却听不进去，依旧沉浸在虚幻的权力中。最终，他被曹操击败，凄凉而终。袁术的故事，就是一个典型的“迷途知返”的反面教材。他本有机会放弃虚荣，重新审视局势，但他却固执己见，最终走向灭亡。这个故事警示我们，要懂得审时度势，及时改正错误，才能避免更大的损失。而“迷途知返”则是一种积极的人生态度，一种勇于面对错误，并改正错误的精神。人生在世，谁没有犯过错误呢？重要的是在迷失方向后，能够及时回头，重新找到正确的道路。这不仅需要勇气，更需要智慧和反省。

huà shuō dōng hàn mò nián, qún xióng zhúlù, tiān xià dà luàn. yuán shù zhàn jù huái nán, zì fēng wèi dì, yì qì fēng fā, què bù zhī dà shì yǐ qù. tā de bù xià quàn tā fàng qì chēng dì, mítu zhī fǎn, yuán shù què tīng bù jìn qù, yījiù chén jìn zài xū huàn de quán lì zhōng. zuì zhōng, tā bèi cáo cáo jì bài, qī liáng ér zhōng. yuán shù de gùshì, jiùshì yīgè diǎnxíng de "mítu zhī fǎn" de fǎn miàn jiàocái. tā běn yǒu jī huì fàng qì xū róng, chóngxīn shěnshì júshì, dàn tā què gùzhī jǐ jiàn, zuì zhōng zǒu xiàng mièwáng. zhège gùshì jǐngshì wǒmen, yào dǒng de shěnshí dùshì, jíshí gǎizhèng cuòwù, cáinéng bìmiǎn gèng dà de sǔnshī. ér "mítu zhī fǎn" zé shì yī zhǒng jījí de rén shēng tàidu, yī zhǒng yǒng yú miàn duì cuòwù, bìng gǎizhèng cuòwù de jīngshen. rén shēng zài shì, shuí méiyǒu fàn guò cuòwù ne? zhòngyào de shì zài míshī fāngxiàng hòu, nénggòu jíshí huítóu, chóngxīn zhǎodào zhèngquè de dàolù. zhè bù jǐn xūyào yǒngqì, gèng xūyào zhìhuì hé fǎnxing.

During the late Eastern Han Dynasty, various warlords fought for dominance, leading to great unrest. Yuan Shu occupied Huainan and proclaimed himself emperor, full of pride and confidence, but he did not realize that the situation was already hopeless. His subordinates advised him to abandon his imperial title and turn back, but Yuan Shu did not listen and remained immersed in his illusory power. Eventually, he was defeated by Cao Cao and died a sad end. Yuan Shu's story is a typical negative example of the idiom "迷途知返." He had the chance to abandon his pride and reassess the situation, but he remained stubborn and ultimately perished. This story warns us to be able to assess the current situation and correct mistakes in time to avoid greater losses. "迷途知返," however, is a positive attitude towards life, a spirit of daring to face mistakes and correcting them. Who hasn't made mistakes in life? The important thing is to be able to turn back in time after losing your way and find the right path again. This not only requires courage but also wisdom and reflection.

Usage

用于形容一个人犯错后能及时改正，通常用于褒义。

yòng yú xíngróng yīgè rén fàn cuò hòu néng jíshí gǎizhèng, tōngcháng yòng yú bāoyì

Used to describe a person's ability to correct their mistakes in time, usually in a positive sense.

Examples

• 他虽然犯了错，但最终迷途知返，重新做人。

  tā suīrán fàn le cuò, dàn zuìzhōng mítu zhī fǎn, chóngxīn zuò rén

  Although he made mistakes, he finally turned back from his wrong path and started over.

• 年轻人难免会犯错，重要的是迷途知返，吸取教训。

  niánqīng rén nánmiǎn huì fàn cuò, dàn shì zhòngyào de shì mítu zhī fǎn, xīqǔ jiàoxùn

  Young people are bound to make mistakes; the important thing is to turn back and learn from them.

Related Idioms

• 悬崖勒马

• 痛改前非

Opposite Idioms

• 执迷不悟

• 冥顽不灵