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望梅止渴 (wàng méi zhǐ kě): Meaning, Examples & Usage

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望梅止渴

望梅止渴 (wàng méi zhǐ kě): To console oneself with illusions or to satisfy a desire by imagination when reality cannot provide it — Meaning & Stroke Order

1.

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2.

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3.

Character Breakdown

望 • wàng • to look into the distance • HSK 3.0 · L6

HSK 3.0 · L6

wàng望

to look into the distance

梅 • méi • plum tree or its fruit

méi梅

plum tree or its fruit

止 • zhǐ • to stop, cease, or halt • HSK 3.0 · L5

HSK 3.0 · L5

zhǐ止

to stop, cease, or halt

渴 • kě • thirsty • HSK 2.0 L3

HSK 3

kě渴

thirsty

Word Info

Pinyinwàng méi zhǐ kě

Meaningto console oneself with illusions or to satisfy a desire by imagination when reality cannot provide it

Characters4

Syntaxidiom

Learn the full idiom story

Read the origin story and cultural notes for 望梅止渴

Words Sharing Characters

More common words that include characters from 望梅止渴.

Words with 望

希望xī wànghope; wish
失望shī wàngdisappointed
愿望yuàn wàngdesire; wish; aspiration
盼望pàn wànghope for; long for; yearn for
看望kàn wàngcall on; visit
威望wēi wàngprestige
展望zhǎn wànglook into the distance
指望zhǐ wànglook to; count on; look forward to

Words with 梅

梅花méi huāplum blossom
梅西méi xīLionel Messi, a famous football player
青梅竹马qīng méi zhú mǎchildhood sweethearts; innocent friendship from childhood

Words with 止

停止tíng zhǐto stop; to halt; to cease
禁止jìn zhǐto ban; prohibit; forbid
阻止zǔ zhǐarrest; stop; prevent
不止bù zhǐmore than; not limited to

Words with 渴

渴望kě wàngfall over oneself; dying to; thirst for
解渴jiě kěquench thirst
口渴kǒu kěthirsty
渴求kě qiúto yearn for; to crave

为止

wéi zhǐ

until

制止zhì zhǐrestrain; check; repress

截止jié zhǐto put a stop to something

终止zhōng zhǐstop; suspend; terminate

饥渴

jī kě

hungry and thirsty

临渴掘井lín kě jué jǐngto act too late; to make preparations only when in urgent need; lack of foresight

4.

Example Sentences with 望梅止渴

lǎo老

bǎn板

zhǐ只

shì是

shuō说

nián年

dǐ底

jiā加

xīn薪

，

dàn但

méi没

yǒu有

rèn任

hé何

shí实

jì际

xíng行

dòng动

，

zhè这

jiǎn简

zhí直

shì是

wàng望

méi梅

zhǐ止

kě渴

。

The boss only said there would be a raise at the end of the year, but took no real action. That's just 'looking at plums to quench thirst'.

tā他

měi每

tiān天

kàn看

lǚ旅

yóu游

shì视

pín频

，

suī虽

rán然

xiàn现

zài在

hěn很

kùn困

nán难

，

dàn但

què却

cóng从

bù不

lǚ旅

xíng行

，

zhè这

bú不

guò过

shì是

wàng望

méi梅

zhǐ止

kě渴

bà罢

le了

。

He watches travel videos every day but never travels. This is nothing more than 'looking at plums to quench thirst'.

xiǎng想

xiǎng想

wèi未

lái来

de的

chéng成

gōng功

，

yě也

suàn算

shì是

wàng望

méi梅

zhǐ止

kě渴

ba吧

。

Although it's very difficult now, thinking about future success is a kind of 'looking at plums to quench thirst'.