1.
hindsight; wisdom after the fact
The understanding or insight that comes only after an event has occurred, when it is too late to change the outcome.
それは後知恵だ。
That's hindsight.
後知恵で批判するのは簡単だ。
It's easy to criticize with hindsight.
後知恵にすぎないが、あのとき別の道を選ぶべきだった。
It's nothing but hindsight, but I should have chosen a different path at that time.
A compound of 後 (after) and 知恵 (wisdom). Refers to the tendency to see past events as having been predictable, or to realize the correct course of action only after the opportunity has passed. Often used critically to point out that someone's advice or analysis is only useful in retrospect.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 後知恵にすぎない: nothing but hindsight
- 後知恵で言う: to say with hindsight
- 後知恵バイアス: hindsight bias
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 結果論: arguing from results — similar concept but emphasizes judging decisions based solely on outcomes
- 先見の明: foresight — the opposite quality, the ability to predict future events