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Proverbs

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.
日本語で読む
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.
日本語で読む
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”)<br>• 縄をなう = “to braid a rope” (verb phrase)<br>Two sequential verb phrases without a conjunction, highlighting action taken too late.
日本語で読む
• 泥棒を捕らえて = 動詞「捕らえる」のて形で「捕まえて」の意味<br>• 縄をなう = 動詞「なう」の基本形で「縄を編む」の意味<br>接続詞を使わず動作を連ね、行動の遅さを皮肉る構造です。

Trap for English Speakers

Literal meaning may confuse learners; fixing things after the fact is too late.
日本語で読む
具体的な行動描写に見えるが、事後対応の手遅れを戒める比喩。

Example

Example 1Basic Example

  1. 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.

Example 2Applied Example

  1. 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.

Quick check

Meaning

What does 「泥棒を捕らえて縄をなう」 mean?

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