hindsight

/ˈhaɪndsaɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈhaɪndsaɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈhīn(d)-ˌsīt/ (ame, mw)

hindsight — 名詞

1. the understanding of something from the past that you gain once the outcome is a

1.名詞B2
釋義

後見之明

事後才看清事情的能力

the understanding of something from the past that you gain once the outcome is already known, which makes the right decision look obvious in a way it was not before

例句

With hindsight, Guo sees that moving to Taipei was his best career choice.

事後看來，Guo 覺得搬去臺北是他最好的職涯選擇。

with hindsight + that-clause about a past decision

In hindsight, the warning signs of the First Federal Bank collapse were easy to spot.

事後看來，這家銀行倒閉的警訊其實很明顯。

in hindsight opening a sentence about missed signals

同義詞
  • retrospect

    More formal than 'hindsight'; used in the fixed phrase 'in retrospect' with the same meaning.

  • 20/20 vision

    Colloquial metaphor from eye tests; 'hindsight is 20/20' means the past looks perfectly clear.

  • afterthought

    Different meaning — refers to something thought of or added later, not the concept of understanding the past clearly.

反義詞
  • foresight

    The ability to predict or prepare for future events before they happen — the direct opposite of hindsight.

  • foreknowledge

    Knowledge of something before it happens, which is exactly what hindsight lacks.

文法句型

in hindsight

with hindsight

with the benefit of hindsight

with the wisdom of hindsight

用法筆記

Almost always appears in fixed prepositional phrases — 'in hindsight', 'with hindsight', 'with the benefit of hindsight', or 'with the wisdom of hindsight'. These phrases typically function as sentence adverbials placed at the start or end of a clause. The word can also stand alone as a subject in the common expression 'Hindsight is 20/20'.

常見錯誤

❌I have a hindsight about that decision.
✅With hindsight, I can see that decision was wrong.
💡'hindsight' is an uncountable noun and almost never appears after 'a' or as a standalone object.
❌In the hindsight, we should have left earlier.
✅In hindsight, we should have left earlier.
💡The definite article 'the' is not used before 'hindsight' in this phrase.
❌Hindsight is a wonderful view of the past.
✅Hindsight gives you a wonderful view of the past.
💡Learners often confuse 'hindsight' with 'foresight' or try to use it as a countable concept.