How to Read “Release the dog after seeing the rabbit”
usagi wo mite inu wo hanatsu
Meaning of “Release the dog after seeing the rabbit”
“Release the dog after seeing the rabbit” means it’s not too late to take action after a problem occurs.
The proverb carries a positive message. Even if you act after something happens, you can still succeed.
People use this saying to encourage those who have failed or feel they responded too slowly.
It tells people who think “it’s too late” that they can still make things right. The phrase gives courage by saying “it’s not too late to start now.”
Today, people use it after making mistakes or facing situations unprepared.
You might say “Release the dog after seeing the rabbit – if we deal with it now, we’ll be fine.”
The proverb shows practical wisdom. Even without perfect preparation, you can achieve results if you act properly once the problem becomes clear.
Origin and Etymology
This proverb comes from an ancient Chinese text called “Zhanguoce” (Strategies of the Warring States).
King Xuan of Qi asked his wise minister Chunyu Kun whether failures could be recovered.
Chunyu Kun answered: “It’s not too late to release the dog after seeing the rabbit. It’s not too late to repair the fence after losing the sheep.”
The story uses a hunting scene as an example. Even if you release the hunting dog after the rabbit appears, the dog can still catch up.
The action might seem like “poor preparation,” but it actually carries a positive message.
It means “taking action after something happens can still work.”
The proverb came to Japan along with Chinese classics.
Japanese people accepted it as a lesson that proper response after failure or problems can still fix things.
Unlike negative sayings such as “regret comes too late,” this proverb shows hope by saying “there’s still time.”
The simple metaphor using familiar animals like rabbits and dogs has touched people’s hearts across generations.
This clear imagery helps explain why the saying has lasted so long.
Interesting Facts
A paired expression exists called “bouyo horo” (mending the pen after losing the sheep).
This means “repairing the fence after the sheep are lost.”
It comes from the same story in “Zhanguoce” where Chunyu Kun mentioned both the rabbit and dog example together with this one.
Both expressions convey the same message: “action after the fact is not too late.”
Hunting dogs can run at speeds over 60 kilometers per hour when chasing rabbits.
Rabbits are also fast animals, but dogs have endurance and tracking abilities.
Even if released a bit late, the dog has a good chance of catching up.
This practical hunting knowledge supports the proverb’s persuasive power.
Usage Examples
- We’ve spotted problems in the project, but “release the dog after seeing the rabbit” – if we fix them now, we’ll make it
- I was worried about having only three months until the certification exam, but “release the dog after seeing the rabbit” – I’ll start working seriously now
Universal Wisdom
The proverb “Release the dog after seeing the rabbit” contains deep wisdom about accepting human imperfection.
We cannot always approach things with perfect preparation.
Unpredictable events happen, and facing unexpected problems is an unavoidable reality of life.
This saying has been passed down through generations because it deeply addresses two human emotions.
These are “fear of failure” and “hope for second chances.”
Some people become paralyzed by perfectionism. Others give up after one failure. Some avoid challenges due to lack of preparation.
To all these people, the proverb offers courage. It says “it’s not too late to act after seeing the problem.”
Humans are creatures who learn from failure.
In fact, we can often respond more accurately after problems become clear.
Our ancestors understood something important. Flexibility to respond appropriately to situations matters more than seeking perfection and becoming unable to move.
This teaching is a gentle yet powerful encouragement to humans living amid uncertainty.
When AI Hears This
When you consider the timing of releasing the dog through probability, a surprising fact emerges.
If you release the dog without knowing whether a rabbit exists, and the rabbit’s existence probability is 10 percent, then 90 percent becomes wasted pursuit.
However, if you release it after spotting the rabbit, the existence probability jumps to over 90 percent.
This is the core of Bayesian inference. New information (spotting the rabbit) dramatically rewrites prior predictions.
What’s more interesting is that when you multiply cost by success rate, moving early is actually inefficient.
Let’s say the energy cost of running the dog is 100, and the value gained from success is 1000.
If released beforehand, the expected value is 10 percent times 1000 minus 100, which equals negative 90. That’s a loss.
On the other hand, after spotting, it’s 90 percent times 1000 minus 100, which equals 800 profit.
The same action differs by 900 in expected value depending on whether you have information.
What this proverb teaches is a truth: information quality matters more than action speed.
Even in modern data science, waiting for high-quality data before execution produces far better accuracy than running machine learning models with incomplete information.
Though it may seem delayed, moving at the moment certainty increases becomes the optimal solution for the entire system.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches modern people something important.
The courage to act based on situations matters more than becoming unable to move while aiming for perfection.
In modern society, information overflows. More people spend too much time preparing because they fear failure, and cannot take action.
But think about it. Taking action after problems become clear is actually not too late in most cases.
In fact, seeing concrete challenges has an advantage. You can take more accurate solutions.
When challenging new work, tackling certification exams, or facing relationship problems, don’t wait until perfect preparation is complete.
Just start first, and deal with problems when they appear.
If you feel “it might be too late,” remember this proverb.
If you start moving from this very moment, there’s still plenty of time.
Don’t fear failure. When problems appear, respond quickly.
That flexibility becomes the power to survive in our rapidly changing modern world.
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