Proverb / Kotowaza
泥棒を見て縄をなう
Starting preparations only after a problem has already occurred.
Braid a rope after seeing the thief
Quick Answer
Starting preparations only after a problem has already occurred.
- Literal Image
- Braid a rope after seeing the thief
- How to Use It
- Used when someone tries to fix a situation or prepare for an event that is already underway, emphasizing that the effort is futile because it should have been done earlier.
Meaning
To begin preparing for a situation in a panic only after it has already happened. It describes a response that is far too late to be effective and serves to critique a lack of foresight or the neglect of necessary preparations.
Literal Image
Braid a rope after seeing the thief
How to Use It
Used when someone tries to fix a situation or prepare for an event that is already underway, emphasizing that the effort is futile because it should have been done earlier.
Tone
Carries a critical or mocking nuance toward someone's poor planning.
Examples
試験の当日の朝に参考書を買いに行くなんて、まさに泥棒を見て縄をなうだ。
Going to buy a reference book on the morning of the exam is exactly like making a rope after seeing the thief.
深刻な不祥事が発覚してからコンプライアンスの体制を整えても、泥棒を見て縄をなうで、もはや信用は取り戻せない。
Setting up a compliance system only after a serious scandal has been uncovered is like making a rope after seeing the thief; trust can no longer be restored.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
The individual nouns are accessible, but the verb 'nau' (to braid) is literary/archaic, and the overall metaphorical structure is idiomatic.
泥棒
どろぼう / dorobou
thief
縄
なわ / nawa
rope
なう
なう / nau
to braid or twist (rope)
見て
みて / mite
seeing / after seeing
Usage Profile
Usage note: Using this can sound quite mocking, so it should be used carefully depending on the relationship with the person being addressed.
Misread Risk
Do not interpret 'nau' as a modern verb for 'becoming'; it specifically refers to the act of twisting fibers to make a rope.
Search As
Related Proverbs
Origin
The proverb originates from the absurd image of someone beginning to twist a rope to tie up a thief only after the thief has already entered the house. It highlights the importance of being prepared in advance, as last-minute efforts are ineffective when a crisis has already occurred. The expression is sometimes shortened to 'Doronawa' (thief-rope).
Index
Topics, Situations, and Tags
Topics
Situations
Tags
Source Note
Where did this entry get its data from? The reference links are listed below. To understand how to read this section, see Data Sources.