what is done cannot be undone 覆水难收

覆水难收是一个汉语成语，覆指“pour”, 水是“water”, 难表示“hard to do or difficult”, 收指“retrieve”。

 

“覆水难收”字面意思指“倒在地上的水难以收回（spilled water cannot be gathered up again）”，常用来比喻事情已成定局、难以挽回，可以翻译为“What is done cannot be undone¹”。

 

例句：

 

吉尔很快就后悔告诉迈克她恨他，但她知道已经是覆水难收了。

Jill soon regretted telling Mike that she hated him, but she knew that what's done cannot be undone.

 

没有人能拯救他们的婚姻，已经覆水难收了。

Nobody can save their marriage. What is lost is lost.

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