磨刀不誤砍柴工

1. • lit. sharpening the axe won't make the wood-splitting take longer (idiom)
2. • fig. time invested in preparations is not lost
3. • a beard well lathered is half shaved

Character by character

• 磨(mó)rub
• 刀(dāo)surname Dao
• 不(bù)no
• 誤(wù)mistake
• 砍(kǎn)chop
• 柴(chái)surname Chai
• 工(gōng)work