rumors travel faster than a four-horse carriage; a word once uttered cannot be recalled
Proverb warning that spoken words spread quickly and cannot be taken back, much like a fast carriage. Rare in modern conversation; mainly encountered in classical or literary contexts.
The proverb 'shimo shita ni oyobazu' warns that a word once spoken cannot be taken back.
A modern expression conveying that words spread quickly like arrows, but less formal than the classical proverb.
A classical Japanese proverb of Chinese origin. The kanji 駟 (し) means a team of four horses, emphasizing speed. The literal meaning is 'even a four-horse team cannot catch up with the tongue,' illustrating the swift and irreversible nature of spoken words.