前车之覆,后车之鉴

qián chē zhī fù , hòu chē zhī jiàn

lit. the cart in front overturns, a warning to the following cart (idiom); fig. draw lesson from the failure of one's predecessor

learn from past mistake; once bitten twice shy

qián

front

chē

car

zhī

(possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的[de5])

to cover

,

hòu

back

chē

car

zhī

(possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的[de5])

jiàn

bronze mirror (used in ancient times)