A delayed remedy does not help in an emergency

A delayed remedy does not help in an emergency

The water in the distance can't save the fire nearby. Metaphor is a time-consuming way to solve the current problem. This idiom comes from Han Feizi shuolingshang.

idiom

pronunciation

yuǎnshuǐbújiùjìnhuǒ

explain

The water in the distance can't save the fire nearby. Metaphor is a time-consuming way to solve the current problem.

source

Han Feizi said in shuolingshang: "if there is a fire and water is taken from the sea, although there is a lot of sea water, the fire will not be extinguished. If the water is far away, the fire will not be extinguished."

Examples

For today's plan, it's time to go to Lin'an for help. (the third chapter of the history of pain by Wu Jianren in Qing Dynasty)

allusion

In the early Warring States period, the state of Lu was adjacent to the powerful states of Qi, Jin and Chu. Worried about Qi's invasion of Lu, Duke Lu Mu of Lu made friends with Jin and Chu. He hoped that when Lu was invaded by Qi, he could get assistance from Jin and Chu. In order to achieve the goal of good neighborliness and friendship, the Duke of Lu Mu sent officials to Jin and Chu. One minister thought that this method could not solve the problem, so he said to Lu Mugong: "Yue is a country of water, and people are good at swimming. However, if someone fell into the water and went to ask the Yue people to rescue him, the drowning man would have drowned long before others came. For another example, if you catch a fire, go thousands of miles away to get sea water for rescue. Although there is a lot of sea water, the fire will not be put out. The reason is very simple: far water does not save near fire. In the same way, although Jin and Chu were very powerful, they were far away from Lu, while Qi was closer to Lu. Once Qi invades Lu, I'm afraid this kind of disaster can't be saved by Jin and Chu. "

classical Chinese

original text

Duke mu of Lu made the princes to be officials in Jin or Jing. Li said, "if you are good at swimming, you will not be born.". If there is a fire and water is drawn from the sea, the fire will not be extinguished even though there is a lot of sea water. Although Jin and Jing are strong, they are close to each other, but Lu can't help them! "

translation

Lu Mugong asked his sons to be officials in Jin and Chu. Li Chen said: "the people of Yue have come to help their son who fell into the water. Although the people of Yue are good at swimming, his son can't live. When there is a fire, you have to go to the sea to get water. Although there is a lot of sea water, the fire can't be put out. Far water can't help near fire. Although the states of Jin and Chu are powerful now, the state of Qi is close to the state of Lu. If they are attacked by the state of Qi, the disaster of the state of Lu will be difficult to save! "

notes

1. Lu Mugong: the monarch of the state of Lu in the spring and Autumn period.

Eunuch: to be an official.

3. To be an official in Jin: to be an official in Jin.

4. Jing: state of Chu.

5. Li Fan (Chu second voice): Doctor of the state of Lu.

6. False: borrow, beg.

7. Yue: national, in Zhejiang.

Drowning: a drowning person.

9. Sheng: alive, alive.

I'm afraid it means guessing.

Yu Yue (Yu): preposition, Cong.