過あやまちて改あらためざるこれを過あやまちという

Meanings

A mistake uncorrected is a mistake indeed; Not correcting a mistake is itself a mistake

Proverb from the Analects of Confucius. Used to emphasize the importance of acknowledging and fixing one's errors. Often cited in educational or moral contexts.

「過あやまちて改あらためざるこれを過あやまちという」という言こと葉ばは、論ろん語ごに由ゆ来らいする。
The saying 'A mistake uncorrected is a mistake indeed' originates from the Analects of Confucius.
失しっ敗ぱいを認みとめないのは、過あやまちて改あらためざるこれを過あやまちというだ。
Not admitting your failure is exactly what 'a mistake uncorrected is a mistake indeed' means.

Kanji

過overdo, exceed, go beyond
改reformation, change, modify
是just so, this, right
謂reason, origin, history

Related words

過あやまち
Means 'mistake' or 'error' as a noun; the proverb uses it in a verbal context.
改あらためる
Means 'to correct' or 'to reform'; the proverb uses its negative form 改めざる (not correcting).

Built from

過あやまつ+改あらためる

Written forms

過あやまちて改あらためざるこれを過あやまちという
Most common modern kanji rendering of the proverb.
過あやまちて改あらためざる是これを過あやまちという
Variant using 是 for これ; seen in classical or literary contexts.
過あやまちて改あらためざる是これを過あやまちと謂いう
Archaic variant with 謂う for いう; rarely used outside classical citations.

Etymology

From the Analects, 論語: 過而不改、是謂過矣, “To make a mistake and not correct it—this is called a mistake.” The Japanese wording is a traditional reading of the Classical Chinese maxim.