ChinesePod

1 lit. to clasp the Buddha's feet when danger arises (idiom); fig. to profess devotion only when in trouble
2 doing things at the last minute
3 to make a hasty last-minute effort (often refers to cramming for exams)

惹火烧身

rě huǒ shāo shēn

1 stir up the fire and you get burnt (idiom); to get one's fingers burnt
2 fig. to suffer on account of one's own meddling

拣佛烧香

jiǎn fó shāo xiāng

1 to choose which Buddha to burn incense to (idiom); fig. to curry favor from the right person

洛阳纸贵

Luò yáng zhǐ guì

1 lit. paper has become expensive in Luoyang (because everyone is making a copy of a popular story) (idiom)
2 fig. (of a product) to sell like hotcakes

Sample Sentences

哎，我昨天晚上看见一个人在十字路口画了个圈烧纸，嘴巴里还念念叨叨的，他在干吗呀？

āi ，wǒ zuótiān wǎnshang kànjiàn yī gè rén zài shízì lùkǒu huà le ge quān shāozhǐ ，zuǐbā li hái niànniandāodāo de ，tā zài gànmá ya ？

Last night I saw a guy at an intersection who had painted a little circle and was burning money inside. He was also chanting or muttering something. What in the world was he doing?

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