臨渴掘井
See also: 临渴掘井
Chinese
to face; to overlook; to arrive to face; to overlook; to arrive; to be (just) about to; just before |
thirsty | to dig a well | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
trad. (臨渴掘井) | 臨 | 渴 | 掘井 | |
simp. (临渴掘井) | 临 | 渴 | 掘井 | |
Literally: “to dig a well when one is thirsty”. |
Etymology
Based on the Annals of Master Yan:
- 溺而後問隊,迷而後問路,譬之猶臨難而遽鑄兵,臨噎而遽掘井,雖速亦無及已。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
- From: Annals of Master Yan, c. 3rd century BCE
- Nì érhòu wèn suì, mí érhòu wèn lù, pì zhī yóu línnàn ér jù zhùbīng, lín yē ér jù juéjǐng, suī sù yì wú jí yǐ. [Pinyin]
- To ask the way after drowning and to ask for directions after getting lost is like, for example, quickly making weapons when facing a disaster or quickly digging a well when choking; though fast, it is too late.
溺而后问队,迷而后问路,譬之犹临难而遽铸兵,临噎而遽掘井,虽速亦无及已。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
Pronunciation
Idiom
臨渴掘井
- (figurative) to fail to make a timely preparation and look for a solution at the last minute
- 宜未雨而綢繆,毋臨渴而掘井。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]
- From: Zhu Yongchun, Zhu Zi's Family Maxims, 17th century CE
- Yí wèi yǔ ér chóumóu, wú lín kě ér jué jǐng. [Pinyin]
- One should, when it is not yet raining, bind tightly the window. One should not wait until one is thirsty to dig a well.
i.e. One should prepare before it is too late.
宜未雨而绸缪,毋临渴而掘井。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]
Synonyms
Dialectal synonyms of 臨渴掘井 (“to fail to make a timely preparation and look for a solution at the last minute”) [map]
Descendants
Sino-Xenic (臨渴掘井):
This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.