learn the hard way

English

Pronunciation

• Audio (US):

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Verb

learn the hard way (third-person singular simple present learns the hard way, present participle learning the hard way, simple past and past participle learned the hard way or learnt the hard way)

1. To learn by experiencing the consequences of making mistakes.

   Anyone who tries to cycle will learn the hard way that grazes are painful.

Synonyms

• learn from experience

Translations

learn by experiencing the consequences of making mistakes

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 艱難地學到某事, 艰难地学到某事 (jiānnán de xuédào mǒushì), 通過艱難困苦而學到, 通过艰难困苦而学到 (tōngguò jiānnánkùnkǔ ér xuédào)

• Finnish: oppia kantapään kautta
• French: à la dure (fr)
• German: auf die harte Tour lernen
• Hungarian: saját kárán tanul
• Polish: no equivalent term in Polish, but see człowiek uczy się na błędach
• Russian: узна́ть на горьком опыте (uznátʹ na gorʹkom opyte), научи́ться на горьком опыте (naučítʹsja na gorʹkom opyte)
• Spanish: aprender por las malas, aprender a la mala
• Vietnamese: rút kinh nghiệm

See also

• live and learn