trying to put out a blazing cartload of firewood with one cup of water; a hopelessly inadequate measure
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
a completely inadequate measure; a futile effort
formalUsed to describe a situation where the resources or effort applied are far too small to solve a big problem. It implies the effort is symbolic but ultimately useless. The idiom originates from the ancient text 《孟子·告子上》.
Gōng公
sī司
kuī亏
sǔn损
yán严
zhòng重
，
zhè这
diǎn点
tóu投
zī资
bù不
guò过
shì是
bēi杯
shuǐ水
chē车
xīn薪
。
The company is suffering severe losses; this small investment is merely a drop in the bucket.
Duì对
yú于
zhè这
chǎng场
dà大
miàn面
jī积
de的
zì自
rán然
zāi灾
hài害
，
wǒ我
men们
gè个
rén人
de的
juān捐
kuǎn款
zhǐ只
néng能
shì是
bēi杯
shuǐ水
chē车
xīn薪
。
Faced with such a large-scale natural disaster, our personal donations can only be a futile gesture.
Show 1 more exampleShow fewer examples
Tā他
de的
bìng病
qíng情
hěn很
zhòng重
，
chī吃
zhè这
diǎn点
yào药
jiǎn简
zhí直
shì是
bēi杯
shuǐ水
chē车
xīn薪
。
His illness is very serious; taking this little medicine is utterly useless.