蠟燭不點不亮
là​zhú​bù​diǎn​bù​liàng

to need a push

  • created sense approved 蜡烛不点不亮/蠟燭不點不亮 · là​zhú​bù​diǎn​bù​liàng · to need a push — "Initial import from upstream dictionary"

    蜡烛不点不亮 / 蠟燭不點不亮

    là​zhú​bù​diǎn​bù​liàng

    to need a push

    some people have to be pushed for them to take action; literally, a candle does not shine unless it is lit

    蜡烛 (literal) → 蜡烛/蠟燭 · là​zhú · candle 不 (literal) → 不 · bù · not 点 (literal) → 点/點 · diǎn · to light 不 (literal) → 不 · bù · not 亮 (literal) → 亮 · liàng · to shine

    Changed: simplified, traditional, gloss, definition, pinyin, variant pinyin, variants, separable parts, decomposition

    created sense