望梅止渴wàng méi zhǐ kě

How do you use 望梅止渴 in a sentence?

We had to wait an hour for dinner, so Mom described the noodles and dumplings to us—almost like望梅止渴.

我wǒ们men还hái要yào等děng一yí个gè小xiǎo时shí才cái能néng吃chī晚wǎn饭fàn，所suǒ以yǐ妈mā妈mā给gěi我wǒ们men描miáo述shù面miàn条tiáo和hé饺jiǎo子zi的de样yàng子zi——简jiǎn直zhí像xiàng“望wàng梅méi止zhǐ渴kě”。

Common mistake

Do not use this idiom for actually solving a problem with a real object, like giving water to a thirsty person. It is about easing desire or discomfort through imagination or hopeful expectation, not through a real solution.

不bú要yào把bǎ这zhè个gè成chéng语yǔ用yòng在zài真zhēn正zhèng用yòng实shí物wù解jiě决jué问wèn题tí的de情qíng况kuàng上shàng，比bǐ如rú给gěi口kǒu渴kě的de人rén水shuǐ喝hē。它tā强qiáng调diào的de是shì靠kào想xiǎng象xiàng或huò期qī待dài来lái暂zàn时shí缓huǎn解jiě需xū要yào，而ér不bú是shì真zhēn正zhèng解jiě决jué问wèn题tí。