望梅止渴wàng méi zhǐ kěto console oneself with illusions

1. 1.

   to console oneself with illusionsidiom

Figurative meaning

To console oneself with illusions.

Literal meaning

To quench one's thirst by thinking of plums.

• 望to gaze (into the distance)
• 梅plum
• 止to stop
• 渴thirsty

The story

Cao Cao, Emperor Wu of Wei, was on a march when his army lost the way to water and everyone was thirsty. He gave an order: “Ahead there is a big plum grove, full of fruit, sweet and sour, that can quench your thirst.”

望梅止渴 can describe comfort that comes only from imagining what you want.

1. HSK 3

   饿的时候看吃的照片，只是望梅止渴。

   È de shíhou kàn chī de zhàopiàn, zhǐshì wàng méi zhǐ kě.

   Looking at food photos when you're hungry is only consoling yourself with illusions.

2. HSK 3

   工作还没做完，想假期只是望梅止渴。

   Gōngzuò hái méi zuòwán, xiǎng jiàqī zhǐshì wàng méi zhǐ kě.

   The work isn't finished yet; thinking about the holiday is just comforting yourself with a dream.

1. 
   Speaker A:

   太热了，我想吃西瓜。

   Tài rè le, wǒ xiǎng chī xīguā.

   It's so hot; I want some watermelon.

2. 
   Speaker B:

   家里没有西瓜。

   Jiā lǐ méiyǒu xīguā.

   There's no watermelon at home.

3. 
   Speaker A:

   那我看看西瓜的照片吧。

   Nà wǒ kànkan xīguā de zhàopiàn ba.

   Then I'll look at photos of watermelon.

4. 
   Speaker B:

   这是望梅止渴，我们去买吧。

   Zhè shì wàng méi zhǐ kě, wǒmen qù mǎi ba.

   That's just comforting yourself with an illusion; let's go buy one.

1. 1.What does 望梅止渴 mean?

   ATo console oneself with illusionsBTo grow plum treesCTo drink a lot of water
2. 2.Which sentence uses 望梅止渴 correctly?

   A没钱买手机，看看广告也只是望梅止渴。B这个西瓜很望梅止渴。C他望梅止渴地走路。
3. 3.Which word fits best? 饿了只看照片，是____。 (Only looking at photos when hungry is consoling yourself with illusions.)

   A望梅止渴B杯弓蛇影C坐井观天

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