Todays Chinese Idiom (今天的成语)

Do you remember not being allowed to do something until you got permission from you parents? Life seemed so controlling, until you figured out that if you did it first, and then told your parents -- they couldn't do much about it, because the so called "damage" was already done. If this scenario describes you, than this idiom is for you!


先斩后奏 xiānzhan3hòuzòu

斩 - to execute
奏 - to advise or to submit a written statement ot a sovereign, to report。

In ancient Chinese law, criminals who were sentenced to death could only be executed with the approval of the sovereign。However, under special circumstances, local officials could have the criminal executed first and report to the ruler afterwards, hence the idiom 先斩后奏 xiānzhan3hòuzòu。

Metaphorical Meaning: to act first and report to one's superior afterwards。

Also Known As: 先行后闻 (xianānxínghòuwén) and 先斩后闻 (xianānzhan3 hòuwén)。

Example sentences:

要建立报告制度,重大事情, 下级必须先报告, 批准后才能实施,不能先斩后奏。
Yào jiànlì bàogào zhìdù, zhòngdà shìqing, xiàjí bìxū xiān bàogào, pīzhun3 hòu cáinéng shíshī, bùnéng xiānzhan3hòuzòu。

包拯坐镇开封府, 有先斩后奏的权力。
Bāo Zhěng zuòzhèn Kāifēng fu3, you3 xiānzhan3hòuzòu de quánlì。

小张气愤地说, "这也不批,那也不准,我们给他来个先斩后奏,看他怎么办!"
Xiao3 Zhāng qìfèn dì shuō, "zhè yě bù pī, nà yě bùzhun3, wo3men gěi tā lái gè xiānzhan3hòuzòu, kàn tā zěnme bàn。