lâm khát nhi quật tỉnh
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.