Japanese meaning of 泥棒を捕らえて縄をなう
Reading:
どろぼうをとらえてなわをなう (dorobō o toraete nawa o nau)
English Translation:
Locking the stable door after the horse has bolted
Meaning & Cultural Context
Meaning:
Acting only after the fact is too late.
事後対応では手遅れになりがちという意味。
Cultural Context:
Invoked in risk management and compliance after incidents; proverbial in postmortems.
事件・事故後のリスク管理やコンプライアンスで言及。振り返り（ポストモーテム）の定番。
Grammar & Learning Points
Grammar Point
• 泥棒を捕らえて = verb phrase “catching a thief” (te-form of 捕らえる “to catch”)
• 縄をなう = “to braid a rope” (verb phrase)
Two sequential verb phrases without a conjunction, highlighting action taken too late.
Trap for English Speakers
Literal meaning may confuse learners; fixing things after the fact is too late.
Example
Basic Example
事後に対策をしても遅い、泥棒を捕らえて縄をなうようなものだ。
Taking action after it’s too late is like locking the stable door after the horse has bolted.
Applied Example
フラれた後にオシャレしても、泥棒を捕らえて縄をなうだよね。
Dressing up after the rejection—it’s locking the stable door after the horse has bolted.