Pinyin:
bù tīng lǎorén yán, chīkuī zài yǎnqián
Meaning:
不听从有经验的人的意见就会受到损失。
those who do not heed the advice of an elder will suffer losses
Character breakdown and explanation:
不：not
听：listen
老人：elder
言：word
吃亏：suffer losses
在：(indicating time, place, condition, scope, etc.)
眼前：before one's eyes
The Chinese believe that people who are older are inclined to have more experience, therefore, before someone sets out to do something, that person should heed the opinion of that older and more experienced person (“听老人言”); if not, that person is bound to suffer losses and setbacks. The phrase “不听老人言，吃亏在眼前” is often used on those younger people who do not heed advice from more experienced and older people. This phrase can also be used as an admonishment.
Example sentences:
我都在那儿工作几十年了，告诉你的还能有错？不听老人言，吃亏在眼前啊！
Wǒ dōu zài nàr gōngzuò jǐshí nián le, gàosu nǐ de hái néng yǒu cuò? Bù tīng lǎorén yán, chīkuī zài yǎnqián a!
I've been working there for ten years, what I'm saying can't be wrong. You should take my advice.
早知道房价涨成这样，应该按我妈说的把房子买了，真是不听老人言，吃亏在眼前！
Zǎo zhīdao fángjià zhǎng chéng zhèyàng, yīnggāi àn wǒ mā shuō de bǎ fángzi mǎi le, zhēn shì bù tīng lǎorén yán, chīkuī zài yǎnqián!
If I knew earlier that the housing price is going to soar, I should have listened to my mother and bought the house then.
