thệ tề bất cập
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Biting your own navel, too late — remorse gnawing at what no tooth can reach.
Literally: gnaw the navel: not in time
Sources & notes
Discovered via Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897; public domain, via vi.wikisource); retrieved 2026-08-01. Source: source ↗ Attested in Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897). Definition is an original editorial synthesis, not copied from the source.
Common questions
What does “thệ tề bất cập” mean?
Biting your own navel, too late — remorse gnawing at what no tooth can reach. Literally: gnaw the navel: not in time
Is “thệ tề bất cập” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.