平时不烧香，临时抱佛脚

Traditional: 平時不燒香，臨時抱佛腳

píng shí bù shāo xiāng , lín shí bào fó jiǎo

Dictionary entry

(lit.) to never burn incense when all's well, but clutch Buddha's feet in a crisis (proverb)

What does 平时不烧香，临时抱佛脚 mean?

平时不烧香，临时抱佛脚 (píng shí bù shāo xiāng , lín shí bào fó jiǎo) has the following dictionary meaning.

1(lit.) to never burn incense when all's well, but clutch Buddha's feet in a crisis (proverb)

2(fig.) to neglect preparation until the last moment, then act in panic

Character breakdown

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平Píngsurname Ping 时shíold variant of 時|时[shi2]不bùno; not so · (bound form) not; un-烧shāoto burn; to set on fire · to heat (over a fire); to boil (water, tea etc)香xiāngfragrant · sweet smelling 临línto face · to overlook 抱bàoto hold · to carry (in one's arms)佛FóBuddha; Buddhism (abbr. for 佛陀[Fo2 tuo2])

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How to pronounce 平时不烧香，临时抱佛脚

平时不烧香，临时抱佛脚

píng shí bù shāo xiāng , lín shí bào fó jiǎo

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Base dictionary data: CC-CEDICT · CC BY-SA 4.0.