distant water cannot quench present thirst; a slow remedy cannot meet an urgent need
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
distant water cannot quench present thirst; a slow or distant solution cannot satisfy an urgent need
Often used to explain why a delayed or remote solution is inadequate for an immediate crisis. The variant form 远水不解近渴 is also commonly used.
Yuǎn远
shuǐ水
jiě解
bù不
liǎo了
jìn近
kě渴
，
wǒ我
men们
děi得
xiān先
xiǎng想
bàn办
fǎ法
dù渡
guò过
yǎn眼
qián前
de的
nán难
guān关
。
Distant water cannot quench present thirst; we must first find a way to get through the immediate crisis.
Děng等
zǒng总
bù部
bō拨
kuǎn款
lái来
bù不
jí及
le了
，
yuǎn远
shuǐ水
jiě解
bù不
liǎo了
jìn近
kě渴
，
zán咱
men们
hái还
shì是
zì自
chóu筹
zī资
jīn金
ba吧
。
We can't wait for the headquarters to allocate funds; distant water cannot quench present thirst, so let's raise the money ourselves.
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Cóng从
wài外
dì地
diào调
huò货
tài太
màn慢
，
yuǎn远
shuǐ水
jiě解
bù不
liǎo了
jìn近
kě渴
，
bù不
rú如
xiān先
yòng用
běn本
dì地
de的
tì替
dài代
pǐn品
。
Shipping goods from other places is too slow; distant water cannot quench present thirst, so we might as well use local substitutes first.