4 characters Idiom and proverb 18 35

Chinese language progresses from characters to idioms. This free guide explains the advanced idiom 「救燎助薪」 for better learning.

The featured idiom 「救燎助薪」 is explained here, including its meaning and how to use it.

It is a metaphor that taking the wrong approach will not only fail to solve the problem, but will make the problem worse. Same as “throwing fuel to put out a fire”.

The Mandarin pronunciation of this idiom is :

jiù liáo zhù xīn

while its Cantonese pinyin is :

gau3 liu4 jo6 san1

Chinese idioms are vast in number, each carrying unique meanings and usages. With such variety, there’s a lot to learn and appreciate. Hopefully, these resources will aid you on your journey to mastering Chinese.