Tiếng Việt · Idiom Attested

nước đến chân mới nhảy

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

Also seen as: nước tới chân mới nhảy · nước tới trôn mới nhảy · nước đến chân mới nhẩy

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

To put things off until the situation is urgent, and only act at the last possible moment.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Chỉ hành động khi tình huống trở nên cấp thiết

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Literally: Only jump when the water reaches your feet.

How to use it

✓ Use it when

Scolding (or confessing to) last-minute habits — deadlines, exams, preparations.

Where it’s used: Used Toàn quốc & hải ngoại · Vietnam-wide & diaspora More common Miền Nam · Southern Vietnam • the wording “nước tới chân mới nhảy” (tới) is the more Southern form; “đến” leans Northern

Examples

Mai thi rồi mà giờ mới mở sách, đúng kiểu nước đến chân mới nhảy.The exam is tomorrow and you’re only opening the book now — classic “jump only when the water reaches your feet.”

Editorial example (illustrative, not a corpus attestation)

Equivalents & related

Topics: Water Legs

Common questions

What does “nước đến chân mới nhảy” mean?

To put things off until the situation is urgent, and only act at the last possible moment. Literally: Only jump when the water reaches your feet.

Is “nước đến chân mới nhảy” formal or informal?

nước đến chân mới nhảy is generally informal; connotation: chiding, often self-deprecating.