the word of an emperor cannot be unsaid
Proverb meaning that once an emperor speaks, it cannot be taken back, just as sweat cannot return into the body. Used to emphasize the irrevocability of a ruler's words.
The phrase 'the word of an emperor cannot be unsaid' expresses the weight of a monarch's single utterance.
Standard kanji form of the proverb.
Variant with ごとし in kana.
From classical Chinese literature; the exact origin is uncertain, but the phrase is traditionally associated with the irrevocability of imperial decrees.