养兵千日，用在一时
yǎng​bīng​qiān​rì​yòng​zài​yī​shí

preparation pays off

  1. 养兵 養兵 yǎng​bīng
    to maintain an army
    to maintain, supply, and train soldiers in preparation for war
  2. 千 qiān numeral
    thousand
    thousand; the number 1,000; the financial form is 仟 qiān
  3. 日 rì nounadverb
    day
    a 24-hour period; the time it takes for the earth to rotate once on its axis
  4. ， yòng
    non-Chinese
  5. 用 yòng verb
    to use
    To use; to employ; to apply or make use of something to achieve a purpose.
  6. 在 zài preposition
    [location/time]
    Used as a linker to introduce the time, place, or situation of an action, meaning "at", "in", or "on".
  7. 一时 一時 yī​shí
    for a short while
    a short while; for the time being