ChinesePod

1 lit. the cart in front overturns, a warning to the following cart (idiom); fig. draw lesson from the failure of one's predecessor
2 learn from past mistake
3 once bitten twice shy

前车之鉴

qián chē zhī jiàn

1 to learn a lesson from the mistakes of one's predecessor (idiom)

学富五车

xué fù wǔ chē

1 of great erudition and scholarship (idiom)

安步当车

ān bù dàng chē

1 to go on foot (idiom)
2 to do things at a leisurely pace

宝马香车

bǎo mǎ xiāng chē

1 precious horses and magnificent carriage (idiom); rich family with extravagant lifestyle
2 ostentatious display of luxury

Sample Sentences

我想那时候更疯狂。各色人物都来上海滩谋生。洋人在租界大兴土木，马路上黄包车、电车四处冲，黑帮流氓到处厮杀。你想想那场面！

wǒ xiǎng nà shíhou gèng fēngkuáng 。 gèsè rénwù dōu lái Shànghǎi tān móushēng 。yángrén zài zūjiè dàxīngtǔmù ，mǎlù shàng huángbāochē 、diànchē sìchù chōng ，hēibāng liúmáng dàochù sīshā 。 nǐ xiǎng xiang nà chǎngmiàn ！

I think it was even crazier back then. All kinds of characters came to seek their fortune in Shanghai. Foreigners built all kinds of stuff in the Concessions, and there were rickshaws on the roads, and streetcars rushing all over the place. Underworld thugs were killing people right and left. Imagine that!

Go to Lesson

复古？电车？听起来很诗意。对了，我同事来的时候，到渔人码头去吃大螃蟹了。还跟我说一定要去尝尝。

fùgǔ ？diànchē ？tīng qǐlai hěn shīyì 。duìle ，wǒ tóngshì lái de shíhou ，dào yúrénmǎtóu qù chī dà pángxiè le 。hái gēn wǒ shuō yīdìng yào qù chángchang 。

Old-style? Trolleys? Sounds really romantic. Oh right, when my colleague came he went to Fisherman's Wharf and ate big crabs. He told me I should definitely go check it out.

Go to Lesson

是挺有特色的。旧金山这种坡路很多。等会儿到城里还有复古有轨电车。

shì tǐng yǒu tèsè de 。Jiùjīnshān zhèzhǒng pōlù hěn duō 。děnghuìr dào chénglǐ hái yǒu fùgǔ yǒuguǐ diànchē 。

It really does have a lot of character. San Francisco has a lot of those really steep streets. Wait a bit, when we get into the city they have old-style trolleys.

Go to Lesson