浪子回頭金不換

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Chinese

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loafer; wastrel; wave to turn around
cannot be exchanged with gold; invaluable; precious; a kind of inkbrush
 
trad. (浪子回頭金不換) 浪子 回頭 金不換
simp. (浪子回头金不换) 浪子 回头 金不换
Literally: “A wayward son who returns is more precious than gold.”

Etymology

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From the novel 覺世名言十二樓 by Li Yu (1611–1680):

俗語:「浪子回頭金不換。」但凡邪路正經自幼不同叫做大悟之後」,哪裡回頭不端不正 [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]
俗语:「浪子回头金不换。」但凡邪路正经自幼不同叫做大悟之后」,哪里回头不端不正 [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]
From: 17th century, Li Yu, 覺世名言十二樓
Súyǔ dào de hǎo: “Làngzǐ huítóu jīnbùhuàn.” Dànfán zǒu guò xiélù de rén, guī dào zhèngjīng lù shàng, gèng bǐ zìyòu xué hǎo de bùtóng, jiàozuò “dàwù zhīhòu, yǒng bù zài mí”, nǎlǐ hái kěn huítóu zuò nà bùduānbùzhèng de shì! [Pinyin]
(please add an English translation of this usage example)

Pronunciation

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Proverb

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浪子回頭金不換

  1. It is rare when someone who has gone astray turns over a new leaf, so we should accept that person with open arms when the person does reform.

Synonyms

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