A common expression pairing two vivid metaphors meaning that an action is completed and irreversible.
木已成舟
，
生米
煮成
熟饭
What’s done is done; it’s too late to change it now.
木已成舟
mù yǐ chéng zhōu
wood already made into a boat
🔊
，
生米
shēng mǐ
raw rice
🔊
煮成
zhǔ chéng
cook into
🔊
熟饭
shú fàn
cooked rice
🔊
A common expression pairing two vivid metaphors meaning that an action is completed and irreversible.
木已成舟，生米煮成熟饭
The first part (“the wood is already made into a boat”) means you can’t turn the boat back into a tree. The second part (“raw rice has been cooked into a meal”) means you can’t turn cooked rice back into raw grains. Together, they emphasize that a situation is final and unchangeable.
TARGET SENTENCE
What’s done is done; it’s too late to change it now.