臨渴掘井

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
alt. forms	臨噎掘井／临噎掘井
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.][▼ expand/hide]
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.]

From: Annals of Master Yan, circa 3^rd 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.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): línkějuéjǐng

(Zhuyin): ㄌㄧㄣˊ ㄎㄜˇ ㄐㄩㄝˊ ㄐㄧㄥˇ
Cantonese (Jyutping): lam⁴ hot³ gwat⁶ zeng²
Min Nan (POJ): lîm-khat-ku̍t-chíⁿ / lîm-khat-ku̍t-chéng

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Pinyin: línkějuéjǐng
  - Zhuyin: ㄌㄧㄣˊ ㄎㄜˇ ㄐㄩㄝˊ ㄐㄧㄥˇ
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: linkeejyuejiing
  - IPA ^(key): /lin³⁵ kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹¹ t͡ɕɥ̯œ³⁵ t͡ɕiŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: lam⁴ hot³ gwat⁶ zeng²
  - Yale: làhm hot gwaht jéng
  - Cantonese Pinyin: lam⁴ hot⁸ gwat⁹ dzeng²
  - Guangdong Romanization: lem⁴ hod³ gued⁶ zéng²
  - IPA ^(key): /lɐm²¹ hɔːt̚³ kʷɐt̚² t͡sɛːŋ³⁵/
Min Nan
- (Hokkien: Xiamen)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: lîm-khat-ku̍t-chíⁿ
  - Tâi-lô: lîm-khat-ku̍t-tsínn
  - Phofsit Daibuun: limqatkudcvie
  - IPA (Xiamen): /lim²⁴⁻²² kʰat̚³²⁻⁴ kut̚⁴⁻³² t͡ɕĩ⁵³/
- (Hokkien: mainstream Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: lîm-khat-ku̍t-chéng
  - Tâi-lô: lîm-khat-ku̍t-tsíng
  - Phofsit Daibuun: limqatkudzeang
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /lim²³⁻³³ kʰat̚³²⁻⁴ kut̚⁴⁻³² t͡ɕiɪŋ⁴¹/
  - IPA (Taipei): /lim²⁴⁻¹¹ kʰat̚³²⁻⁴ kut̚⁴⁻³² t͡ɕiɪŋ⁵³/

Idiom

臨渴掘井

(figuratively) to fail to make a timed preparation
- 宜未雨而綢繆，毋臨渴而掘井。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  宜未雨而绸缪，毋临渴而掘井。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: Zhu Yongchun, Zhu Zi's Family Maxims, 17^th 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.

Antonyms

未雨綢繆／未雨绸缪 (wèiyǔchóumóu)

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (臨渴掘井):

Japanese: 臨 (りん)渇 (かつ)掘 (くっ)井 (せい) (rinkatsukussei)
Korean: 임갈굴정 (臨渴掘井, imgalguljeong)
Vietnamese: lâm khát quật tỉnh (臨渴掘井)

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