兵来将挡，水来土掩 bīng lái jiàng dǎng ， shuǐ lái tǔ yǎn

to adopt measures appropriate to the actual situation

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. to adopt measures appropriate to the actual situation
  2. 2. counter soldiers with arms, water with an earth weir (idiom); different situations call for different action

Characters

Character Meaning
兵 bīng HSK 5
soldiers; military; weapons
来 lái HSK 1
to come; to arrive; next
将 jiàng HSK 4
will; shall
挡 dǎng HSK 5
to obstruct; to hinder; to get in the way of
水 shuǐ HSK 1
water; liquid; beverage
来 lái HSK 1
to come; to arrive; next
土 tǔ HSK 5
earth; clay; local
掩 yǎn HSK 6
to cover up; to close; to surprise