抱佛脚 (bào fó jiǎo) — to make a hasty last-minute effort (e.g., cramming for an exam, panic preparation)
Definition
A vivid idiom meaning 'to cram at the last minute,' literally 'to hug the Buddha's foot.' Always implies panic preparation, not ordinary late work — the image is begging for divine help because you didn't prepare earlier.
verb
to make a hasty last-minute effort (e.g., cramming for an exam, panic preparation)
Examples
- 抱佛脚，。Kǎo shì qián yì tiān cái bào fó jiǎo, kěn dìng lái bù jí.Cramming the day before the exam — it's definitely too late.
- ，。Tā píng shí bù xué xí, qī mò bào le sān tiān fó jiǎo.He doesn't study at all during the term, and only crammed for three days at the end of the semester.
- 抱佛脚，。Zhè ge xiàng mù wǒ men bù néng lín shí bào fó jiǎo, bì xū tí qián guī huà.We can't just make a last-minute effort on this project — we have to plan ahead.
Appears in
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.