Tiếng Việt · Proverb Attested

lâm khát nhi quật tỉnh

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In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

Digging the well only when thirst arrives — provision postponed until it's no longer provision.

Literally: at thirst, dig the well

Examples

Nước tới chân mới nhảy, lâm khát nhi quật tỉnh.Waiting till the water reaches your feet — digging the well at thirst.

Editorial example (VI sweep batch 040, illustrative)

Sources & notes

Discovered via Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897; public domain, via vi.wikisource); retrieved 2026-08-01. Source: source ↗ Attested in Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897). Definition is an original editorial synthesis, not copied from the source.

Common questions

What does “lâm khát nhi quật tỉnh” mean?

Digging the well only when thirst arrives — provision postponed until it's no longer provision. Literally: at thirst, dig the well

Is “lâm khát nhi quật tỉnh” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.

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