1 He who gives no thought to far-flung problems soon finds suffering nearby (idiom, from Analects).
2 Smug concentration on the here and now will lead to future sorrow.
千虑一失
qiān lu:4 yī shī
1 reflect a thousand times and you can still make a mistake (idiom); to err is human
千虑一得
qiān lu:4 yī dé
1 a thousand tries leads to one success (idiom, humble expr.); Even without any notable ability on my part, I may still get it right sometimes by good luck.
君子远庖厨
jūn zǐ yuàn páo chú
1 lit. a nobleman stays clear of the kitchen (idiom, from Mencius)
2 fig. a nobleman who has seen a living animal cannot bear to see it die, hence he keeps away from the kitchen
天差地远
tiān chā dì yuǎn
1 poles apart (idiom)
2 entirely different
天高皇帝远
tiān gāo huáng dì yuǎn
1 lit. the sky is high and the emperor is far away (idiom)
2 fig. remote places are beyond the reach of the central government
好高骛远
hào gāo wù yuǎn
1 to bite off more than one can chew (idiom)
2 to aim too high
寓意深远
yù yì shēn yuǎn
1 the implied message is deep (idiom); having deep implications
宁静致远
níng jìng zhì yuǎn
1 tranquility yields transcendence (idiom); quiet life of profound study
2 cf Still waters run deep.
山长水远
shān cháng shuǐ yuǎn
1 long and arduous journey (idiom)
敬而远之
jìng ér yuǎn zhī
1 to show respect from a distance (idiom)
2 to remain at a respectful distance
敬鬼神而远之
jìng guǐ shén ér yuǎn zhī
1 to respect Gods and demons from a distance (idiom); to remain at a respectful distance
智者千虑，必有一失
zhì zhě qiān lu:4 , bì yǒu yī shī
1 lit. a wise person reflecting a thousand times can still make a mistake (idiom); fig. nobody is infallible
朝不虑夕
zhāo bù lu:4 xī
1 at dawn, not sure of lasting to evening (idiom); precarious state
2 imminent crisis
3 living from hand to mouth
杞天之虑
Qǐ tiān zhī lu:4
1 man of Qǐ fears the sky falling (idiom); groundless fears
殚精极虑
dān jīng jí lu:4
1 to exhaust one's thoughts and ingenuity (idiom); to think sth through thoroughly
2 to rack one's brains
3 to leave no stone unturned
殚精竭虑
dān jīng jié lu:4
1 to exhaust one's thoughts and ingenuity (idiom); to think sth through thoroughly
2 to rack one's brains
3 to leave no stone unturned
深谋远虑
shēn móu yuǎn lu:4
1 lit. deep plans and distant thoughts
2 to plan far ahead (idiom)
源远流长
yuán yuǎn liú cháng
1 lit. source is distant and the flow is long (idiom); fig. sth goes back to the dim and distant past
2 a lot of water has flowed under the bridge since then
无思无虑
wú sī wú lu:4
1 (idiom) carefree
2 untroubled
Sample Sentences
哎，人无远虑，必有近忧啊。
ai ，rénwúyuǎnlǜ, bìyǒujìnyōu a 。
Agh, if you don't think ahead a bit, it will come back to haunt you.