CHENGYU
望梅止渴(wàng méi zhǐ kě)meaning, story and origin
- Register:
- literary
- Source:
- 南朝宋·刘义庆《世说新语·假谲》
MEANING
- Literal
- to quench thirst by gazing at plums
- Figurative meaning
- to comfort oneself with hopes that cannot come true
ORIGIN STORY
Marching in summer heat, Cao Cao's thirsty troops found no water. He announced that a plum grove lay ahead — sweet and sour — and at the thought the soldiers' mouths watered and their strength returned, long enough to find water.
NATURAL EQUIVALENT
“cold comfort”
EXAMPLES
没有实力拿冠军，想冠军只是望梅止渴。Méiyǒu shílì ná guànjūn, xiǎng guànjūn zhǐ shì wàng méi zhǐ kě.HSK6
Without the strength to win, dreaming of the title is just gazing at plums.
工资太低，老板的承诺不过是望梅止渴。Gōngzī tài dī, lǎobǎn de chéngnuò bùguò shì wàng méi zhǐ kě.HSK6
The pay is so low that the boss's promises are just plum-gazing for the thirsty.
COMMON MISTAKE
Watch out: The relief is imaginary; do not use it for real solutions to thirst or problems.
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
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TRUST & SOURCES
- Reviewed by
- AI-assisted editorial review
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-15
- CC-CEDICT 2026-01-01