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
- (figuratively) 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]
Variety | Location | Words edit |
---|---|---|
Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 臨渴掘井, 臨渴穿井, 臨噎掘井 | |
Mandarin | Taiwan | 臨渴掘井 |
Singapore | 臨渴掘井 | |
Cantonese | Guangzhou | 臨急開坑, 屎急挖糞坑 |
Hong Kong | 臨渴掘井 | |
Dongguan | 臨急起廁坑 | |
Min Nan | Xiamen | 屎緊開礐, 屎緊才開礐, 屎緊才欲開礐, 屎緊才欲開礐,喙焦才欲開井, 欲嫁才縛跤 |
Quanzhou | 屎緊才欲開礐,喙焦才欲開井 | |
Zhangzhou | 屎緊才欲開礐,喙焦才欲開井 |
Antonyms
- 未雨綢繆/未雨绸缪 (wèiyǔchóumóu)
Descendants
Sino-Xenic (臨渴掘井):
- → Japanese: 臨渇掘井 (rinkatsukussei)
- → Korean: 임갈굴정(臨渴掘井) (imgalguljeong)
- → Vietnamese: lâm khát quật tỉnh (臨渴掘井)