临阵磨枪 lín zhèn mó qiāng To sharpen one's spear at the last moment

Explanation

比喻做事没有提前做好准备，临到关键时刻才匆忙进行，往往会事倍功半，甚至徒劳无功。

This idiom means that it is not efficient to start preparing only when the time is near. It is better to be prepared in advance.

Origin Story

传说在古代，有个士兵，到了战场才开始磨他的长枪。周围的战友都觉得很奇怪，问他：“你为什么现在才磨枪？现在已经到战场了，还磨什么枪？”士兵回答道：“我以前没时间，现在赶快磨一磨，也比没磨好。”可是，他磨的枪还是不够锋利，最后在战场上没有发挥出应有的作用，还差点被敌军打败。后来人们就用“临阵磨枪”来比喻做事没有提前做好准备，临到关键时刻才匆忙进行，往往会事倍功半，甚至徒劳无功。

chuán shuō zài gǔ dài, yǒu gè shì bīng, dào le zhàn chǎng cái kāi shǐ mó tā de cháng qiāng. zhōu wéi de zhàn yǒu dōu jué de hěn qí guài, wèn tā: “nǐ wèi shén me xiàn zài cái mó qiāng? xiàn zài yǐ jīng dào le zhàn chǎng le, hái mó shén me qiāng?” shì bīng huí dá dào: “wǒ yǐ qián méi shí jiān, xiàn zài gǎn kuài mó yī mó, yě bǐ méi mó hǎo.” kě shì, tā mó de qiāng hái shì bù gòu fēng lì, zuì hòu zài zhàn chǎng shàng méi fā huī chū yīng yǒu de zuò yòng, hái chà diǎn bèi dí jūn dǎ bài. hòu lái rén men jiù yòng “lín zhèn mó qiāng” lái bǐ yù zuò shì méi yǒu tí qián zuò hǎo zhǔn bèi, lín dào guān jiàn shí kē cái cōng máng jìn xíng, wǎng wǎng huì shì bèi gōng bàn, shì zhì tú láo wú gōng.

Legend has it that in ancient times, there was a soldier who only started to sharpen his spear when he reached the battlefield. His fellow soldiers were puzzled and asked him,

Usage

这个成语通常用于批评那些做事不提前准备，临到关键时刻才手忙脚乱的人。

zhè ge chéng yǔ tōng cháng yòng yú pī píng nà xiē zuò shì bù tí qián zhǔn bèi, lín dào guān jiàn shí kē cái shǒu máng jiǎo luàn de rén.

The idiom is typically used to criticize those who don't prepare in advance and only rush to do things at the last minute.

Examples

  • 临阵磨枪，容易造成事倍功半的效果。

    lín zhèn mó qiāng, róng yì zào chéng shì bèi gōng bàn de xiào guǒ.

    It is easy to get twice the work done with half the results if you polish your spear at the last moment.

  • 他考试前才临时抱佛脚，结果自然考砸了。

    tā kǎo shì qián cái lín shí bào fó jiǎo, jié guǒ zì rán kǎo zá le.

    He crammed at the last minute before the exam, and naturally he failed.

  • 不要临阵磨枪，平时就要做好准备。

    bù yào lín zhèn mó qiāng, píng shí jiù yào zuò hǎo zhǔn bèi.

    Don't just polish your spear at the last moment, prepare yourself in advance.

Related Idioms

  • 临阵磨刀

  • 亡羊补牢

  • 临时抱佛脚

Opposite Idioms

  • 未雨绸缪

  • 防患于未然