yuǎn​shuǐ​bù​jiě​jìn​kě

a slow remedy cannot help an urgent need

Senses

远水不解近渴/ 遠水不解近渴 yuǎn​shuǐ​bù​jiě​jìn​kě a slow remedy cannot help an urgent need

Literally "distant water does not cure present thirst"; used to describe a solution that is too slow or too far away to be of any help for an immediate problem.

References

variant 远水不解近渴/遠水不解近渴 远水解不了近渴/遠水解不了近渴
synonym 远水不解近渴/遠水不解近渴 远水不救近火/遠水不救近火