Definify.com

Definition 2024

抱佛腳

抱佛腳

See also: 抱佛脚

Chinese

 
to hold; to carry (in one's arms); to hug or embrace; surround; cherish
 Buddha; Buddhism role; foot; base
trad. (抱佛腳) 抱 佛 腳
simp. (抱佛脚) 抱 佛 脚
Literally: “to grab Buddha's foot”.

Idiom

抱佛腳

  1. to leave something to do at the last minute; to make a last-minute effort
  2. (rare) to profess Buddhism

Derived terms

  • 平時不燒香，臨時抱佛腳／平时不烧香，临时抱佛脚
  • 急來抱佛腳／急来抱佛脚
  • 急則抱佛腳／急则抱佛脚
  • 急時抱佛腳／急时抱佛脚
  • 臨急抱佛腳／临急抱佛脚
  • 臨時抱佛腳／临时抱佛脚

Etymology

Short for the following saying:

平時不燒香，臨時抱佛腳。 [MSC, trad.]
平时不烧香，临时抱佛脚。 [MSC, simp.]
Píngshí bù shāoxiāng, línshí bàofójiǎo. [Pinyin]
Never burning incense when all is well, but clasping Buddha’s feet when one is in trouble.

Pronunciation

  • Mandarin
  • Cantonese
  • Min Nan
    • (Hokkien)
      • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: phāu-hu̍t-kha / phō-pu̍t-kha
      • Tâi-lô: phāu-hu̍t-kha / phō-pu̍t-kha
      • Phofsit Daibuun: phauxhudqaf, phoixpudqaf
      • IPA (Xiamen): /pʰaʊ²²⁻²¹ hut̚⁴⁻²¹ kʰa⁴⁴/, /pʰɤ²²⁻²¹ put̚⁴⁻²¹ kʰa⁴⁴/
      • IPA (Quanzhou): /pʰaʊ⁴¹⁻²² hut̚²⁴⁻²² kʰa³³/, /pʰɤ⁴¹⁻²² put̚²⁴⁻²² kʰa³³/
      • IPA (Zhangzhou): /pʰaʊ²²⁻²¹ hut̚¹²¹⁻²¹ kʰa⁴⁴/, /pʰɤ²²⁻²¹ put̚¹²¹⁻²¹ kʰa⁴⁴/
      • IPA (Taipei): /pʰaʊ³³⁻¹¹ hut̚⁴⁻³² kʰa⁴⁴/, /pʰo³³⁻¹¹ put̚⁴⁻³² kʰa⁴⁴/
      • IPA (Kaohsiung): /pʰaʊ³³⁻²¹ hut̚⁴⁻³² kʰa⁴⁴/, /pʰɤ³³⁻²¹ put̚⁴⁻³² kʰa⁴⁴/

Similar Results