拆东墙补西墙 - Chinese Idiom

Collocation

1

陷入拆东墙补西墙的困境

2

不得不拆东墙补西墙

3

只能拆东墙补西墙

4

只好拆东墙补西墙

5

总是拆东墙补西墙

Definition

拆东墙补西墙

Literally means:

Tear down the east wall to mend the west wall

Actually means:

borrow from Peter to Paul

Literally it means tearing down the east wall to mend the west wall.

Figuratively it means resorting to a makeshift solution, which is not likely to solve the problem. It often refers to floating money. Derogatory.

拆了东边的墙来把西边的墙补上。

比喻只是采取临时应急的办法，而未能从根本上解决问题。多用于经济上出现了入不敷出的情况。具有贬义色彩。

Example

Used as predicate, subject, object or attributive. (作谓语、主语、宾语、定语)

1

Zhè

这

jǐ

几

nián

年

lái

来

,

tāmen

他们

gōngsī

公司

yīzhí

一直

chāidōngqiángbǔxīqiáng

拆东墙补西墙

,

jiè

借

le

了

zhèjiā

这家

de

的

qián

钱

lái

来

hái

还

lìng

另

yī

一

jiā

家

de

的

qián

钱

,

xiànzài

现在

yǐjīng

已经

dào

到

liǎo

了

wúfǎ

无法

dǐzhài

抵债

de

的

dìbù

地步

le

了

。

Over the years, their company has been tearing down the east wall to make up the west wall, borrowed the family's money to pay back another money, and now it has reached the point of being unable to pay off the debt.

2

Tā

他

bùhuì

不会

lǐcái

理财

,

jīngcháng

经常

yīn

因

zījīn

资金

zhōuzhuǎn

周转

bùlíng

不灵

ér

而

bùdébù

不得不

chāidōngqiángbǔxīqiáng

拆东墙补西墙

。

He can't manage his money, and often has to tear down the east wall to make up the west wall because of the lack of capital turnover.

3

Chāidōngqiángbǔxīqiáng

拆东墙补西墙

suīrán

虽然

kěyǐ

可以

zànshí

暂时

jiějué

解决

wèntí

问题

,

dànshì

但是

chángyuǎn

长远

lái

来

kàn

看

,

shì

是

bù

不

néng

能

jiějué

解决

wèntí

问题

de

的

。

Although tearing down the East Wall to make up the West Wall can solve the problem temporarily, it will not solve the problem in the long run.