Definition
未雨绸缪 is a four-character idiom (chengyu) that literally means 'bind the windows and doors before it rains'. It advises taking precautions or making preparations well in advance to avoid future trouble — equivalent to 'save for a rainy day' or 'prepare for the worst'. Use it to describe proactive planning, not reactive problem-solving.
f.e.
to take precautions beforehandto prepare for a rainy day
Examples
- 未雨绸缪，。Wǒmen yīnggāi wèi yǔ chóu móu, tíqián zuò hǎo yìngjí jìhuà.We should take precautions and make emergency plans in advance.
- 未雨绸缪，。Gōngsī wèi yǔ chóu móu, chǔbèi le zúgòu de zījīn yìngduì shìchǎng bōdòng.The company prepared for a rainy day by reserving enough funds to handle market fluctuations.
- 未雨绸缪，。Tā zǒng xǐhuan wèi yǔ chóu móu, kǎoshì qián yí gè yuè jiù kāishǐ fùxí.He always likes to take precautions — he starts reviewing a month before the exam.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.