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思前想後

简思前想后 · 繁思前想後

Mandarin · pinyin sī qián xiǎng hòu

to consider past cause and future effect (idiom); to think over the past and future
to ponder over reasons and connection

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Characters in this entry

思: sī · think, consider, ponder; final particle
前: qián · in front, forward; preceding
想: xiǎng · think, speculate, plan, consider
後: hòu · behind, rear, after; descendents
后: hòu · queen, empress, sovereign; (simp. for 後) behind, rear, after

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Mandarin tones

1–2–3–4 · si1 qian2 xiang3 hou4

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

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Rime Cantonese 粵拼

si1 cin4 soeng2 hau6

Cantonese word readings for 思前想後. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

phrase

(idiomatic) to deliberate over something for too long causing one to hesitate

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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