平時不燒香,臨時抱佛腳

Chinese

not; no to burn incense
temporary; provisional; ad hoc; interim; at the time when something happens; at the last moment
 
to grab the Buddha's foot; to leave something to do at the last minute; to make a last-minute effort
trad. (平時不燒香,臨時抱佛腳) 平時 燒香 臨時 抱佛腳
simp. (平时不烧香,临时抱佛脚) 平时 烧香 临时 抱佛脚
Literally: “to not burn incense regularly, but only clasp the Buddha's feet when something happens”.

Pronunciation

  • Mandarin
    (Pinyin): píngshí bù shāoxiāng, línshí bào fójiǎo
    (Zhuyin): ㄆㄧㄥˊ ㄕˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄕㄠ ㄒㄧㄤ , ㄌㄧㄣˊ ㄕˊ ㄅㄠˋ ㄈㄛˊ ㄐㄧㄠˇ
  • Cantonese (Jyutping): ping4 si4 bat1 siu1 hoeng1, lam4 si4 pou5 fat6 goek3

  • Mandarin
    • (Standard Chinese)+
      • Hanyu Pinyin: píngshí bù shāoxiāng, línshí bào fójiǎo
      • Zhuyin: ㄆㄧㄥˊ ㄕˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄕㄠ ㄒㄧㄤ , ㄌㄧㄣˊ ㄕˊ ㄅㄠˋ ㄈㄛˊ ㄐㄧㄠˇ
      • Tongyong Pinyin: píngshíh bù shaosiang, línshíh bào fójiǎo
      • Wade–Giles: pʻing2-shih2 pu4 shao1-hsiang1, lin2-shih2 pao4 fo2-chiao3
      • Yale: píng-shŕ bù shāu-syāng-, lín-shŕ bàu fwó-jyǎu
      • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: pyngshyr bu shaushiang, linshyr baw forjeau
      • Palladius: пинши бу шаосян, линьши бао фоцзяо (pinši bu šaosjan, linʹši bao foczjao)
      • Sinological IPA (key): /pʰiŋ³⁵ ʂʐ̩³⁵ pu⁵¹ ʂɑʊ̯⁵⁵ ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ lin³⁵ ʂʐ̩³⁵ pɑʊ̯⁵¹ fu̯ɔ³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
  • Cantonese
    • (Standard Cantonese, GuangzhouHong Kong)+
      • Jyutping: ping4 si4 bat1 siu1 hoeng1, lam4 si4 pou5 fat6 goek3
      • Yale: pìhng sìh bāt sīu hēung, làhm sìh póuh faht geuk
      • Cantonese Pinyin: ping4 si4 bat7 siu1 hoeng1, lam4 si4 pou5 fat9 goek8
      • Guangdong Romanization: ping4 xi4 bed1 xiu1 hêng1, lem4 xi4 pou5 fed6 gêg3
      • Sinological IPA (key): /pʰɪŋ²¹ siː²¹ pɐt̚⁵ siːu̯⁵⁵ hœːŋ⁵⁵ lɐm²¹ siː²¹ pʰou̯¹³ fɐt̚² kœːk̚³/

Proverb

平時不燒香,臨時抱佛腳

  1. to not make adequate preparations beforehand and do something hurriedly only at the last minute

Synonyms