cut flesh to patch a boil; shortsighted remedy; rob Peter to pay Paul
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
to cut one's flesh to patch a boil; a desperate remedy that causes greater loss than the original problem; to rob Peter to pay Paul
Also written as 剜肉医疮 (wān ròu yī chuāng). This idiom criticizes shortsighted solutions that provide temporary relief at the cost of long-term well-being.
Yòng用
jiè借
kuǎn款
lái来
huán还
jiù旧
zhài债
，
wú无
yì异
yú于
wān剜
ròu肉
bǔ补
chuāng疮
。
Using new loans to pay off old debts is no different from cutting flesh to patch a sore.
Zhè这
zhǒng种
wān剜
ròu肉
bǔ补
chuāng疮
de的
zuò做
fǎ法
，
suī虽
rán然
zàn暂
shí时
huǎn缓
jiě解
le了
zī资
jīn金
yā压
lì力
，
què却
gěi给
qǐ企
yè业
mái埋
xià下
le了
gèng更
dà大
de的
yǐn隐
huàn患
。
Although this shortsighted remedy temporarily eased the financial pressure, it planted even greater hidden dangers for the company.
Show 1 more exampleShow fewer examples
Jiě解
jué决
wèn问
tí题
bù不
néng能
yòng用
wān剜
ròu肉
bǔ补
chuāng疮
de的
bàn办
fǎ法
，
ér而
yào要
cóng从
gēn根
běn本
shang上
zhuó着
shǒu手
。
We cannot use stopgap measures that cause greater harm to solve problems; we must address them fundamentally.