治标 (zhì biāo) — (figurative) to treat only the symptoms; to take stopgap measures

Definition

Examples

• 这个办法只能治标，不能解决根本问题。
  Zhè ge bàn fǎ zhǐ néng zhì biāo, bù néng jiě jué gēn běn wèn tí.
  This approach only treats the symptoms; it can't solve the root problem.
• 吃了药只是治了标，病根还在。
  Chī le yào zhǐ shì zhì le biāo, bìng gēn hái zài.
  Taking the medicine only treated the symptoms; the root cause of the illness remains.
• 许多短期政策治不了标，更别提治本了。
  Xǔ duō duǎn qī zhèng cè zhì bù liǎo biāo, gèng bié tí zhì běn le.
  Many short-term policies can't even manage the symptoms, let alone address the root causes.