--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A team of horses cannot overtake a word…" description: "\"A team of horses cannot overtake a word that has left the mouth.\" — Wu Cheng'en" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/258/wu-cheng-en-33421_horse_a-team-of-horses-cannot-overtake-a-word_2178583.jpg" --- # A team of horses cannot overtake a word that has left the… ![“A team of horses cannot overtake a word that has left the mouth.” quote by Wu Cheng'en](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/258/wu-cheng-en-33421_horse_a-team-of-horses-cannot-overtake-a-word_2178583.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/258/wu-cheng-en-33421_horse_a-team-of-horses-cannot-overtake-a-word_2178583.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/258/wu-cheng-en-33421_horse_a-team-of-horses-cannot-overtake-a-word_2178583.jpg) > “A team of horses cannot overtake a word that has left the mouth.” [Wu Cheng'en](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wu-cheng-en/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Spoken words spread faster than any horse, emphasizing the power of language over speed. **In simple terms:** Words travel faster than horses. Key Takeaway Choose words wisely. Themes language communication speed influence wisdom Mood thoughtful philosophical Type cultural inspirational When to use this quote - teaching - public speaking - conflict resolution - media messaging Key Concepts proverbs oral tradition cultural sayings Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure words have impact? - When should action replace speech? A Different Perspective Words can be misinterpreted or ignored. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Horse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horse/) [Horses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horses/) [Team](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/team/) ## Related quotes > [“Fella had a team of horses, had to use'em to plow an' cultivate an' mow, wouldn't think a turnin' 'em out to starve when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/fella-had-a-team-of-horses-had-to-use-em-to-plow-an-cultivate-an-mow/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [The swiftest horse can't overtake a word once spoken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinese-proverb/the-swiftest-horse-can-t-overtake-a-word-once-spoken/) Chinese Proverb > [There is a group dynamic and a team behaves in principle like a team of horses: there are always leaders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-nagelsmann/there-is-a-group-dynamic-and-a-team-behaves-in-principle-like-a-team/) [Julian Nagelsmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-nagelsmann/) > [When I was a little boy, I rode, but I didn't own horses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/when-i-was-a-little-boy-i-rode-but-i-didn-t-own-horses/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [Horses have made civilization possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/horses-have-made-civilization-possible/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [I always thought I was going to be a professional horse rider because I rode horses competitively from zero to 17 years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-wilson/i-always-thought-i-was-going-to-be-a-professional-horse-rider-because/) [Louise Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-wilson/) > [Americans don't eat horses. 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Monkey,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wu-cheng-en/even-amidst-fierce-flames-the-golden-lotus-can-be-planted-sylvia/) [Wu Cheng'en](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wu-cheng-en/) > [I was very fond of strange stories when I was a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wu-cheng-en/i-was-very-fond-of-strange-stories-when-i-was-a-child/) [Wu Cheng'en](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wu-cheng-en/) > [Hero is he alone who vies with powers supreme!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wu-cheng-en/hero-is-he-alone-who-vies-with-powers-supreme/) [Wu Cheng'en](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wu-cheng-en/) [Explore all 15 Wu Cheng'en quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wu-cheng-en/) ## More Horse quotes > [I would drink gallons of coffee a day. Even now, off caffeine, I talk faster than anyone you've ever met. 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I have gone on several horse adventures with my wife - from Guangxi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-gormley/i-always-like-to-look-for-adventure-when-i-go-away-i-have-gone-on/) [Antony Gormley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-gormley/) > [Plato compared the intellect to a charioteer guiding the powerful horses of the passions, i.e., he gave it both the power of perception and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-cattell/plato-compared-the-intellect-to-a-charioteer-guiding-the-powerful/) [Raymond Cattell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-cattell/) > [There are those that say, if you do the uncomfortable thing long enough, it will become comfortable. But we are really not encouragers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/there-are-those-that-say-if-you-do-the-uncomfortable-thing-long/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [If some beggar steals a bridle he'll be hung by a man who's stolen a horse. 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