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機不可失，時不再來

简机不可失，时不再来 · 繁機不可失，時不再來

Mandarin · pinyin jī bù kě shī , shí bù zài lái

Opportunity knocks but once. (idiom)

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Characters in this entry

機: Look up this written character
不: bù · no, not; un-; negative prefix
可: kě · may, can, -able; possibly
失: shī · lose; make mistake, neglect
時: shí · time, season; era, age, period
再: zài · again, twice, re-
來: lái · come, coming; return, returning
机: jī · desk; machine; moment
时: shí · time, season; era, age, period
来: lái · come, coming; return, returning

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Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

機不可失，時不再來 · find source passages ↗ · 机不可失，时不再来 · find source passages ↗

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