远水救不了近火

远水救不了近火:

Literally means:

water afar quench no fire

Actually means:

a slow remedy cannot meet an urgency

远水, water in the distance; 近火, fire nearby.

The idiom means that distant water can't be used to quench the fire nearby for it takes time to carry water over.

In a metaphorical sense, it means that a slow solution doesn't fit an urgent question.

远水，距离很远的水源；近火，近处的火。

远水救不了近火，远处的水不能用来扑灭就在附近的火，因为要把远处的水运过来灭火需要花很多的时间。

比喻缓慢解决问题的办法不能满足当前的紧急需要。