Proverb / Kotowaza
茶腹も一時
Even a small thing or a temporary measure can help someone get through a difficult moment.
A stomach full of tea lasts for a moment
Quick Answer
Even a small thing or a temporary measure can help someone get through a difficult moment.
- Literal Image
- A stomach full of tea lasts for a moment
- Closest Equivalent
- Kail spares bread
- How to Use It
- Used when employing a temporary fix to manage a situation or when advising someone to take any available action, however small, to get through a difficult moment.
Meaning
Just as drinking tea can temporarily stave off hunger, even a minor or imperfect solution can serve as a makeshift way to tide someone over for a short time. It emphasizes the importance of using whatever resources are available to manage a situation until a better or more permanent solution can be found.
Literal Image
A stomach full of tea lasts for a moment
Equivalent Proverbs
Kail spares bread
A Scottish proverb suggesting that thin soup allows one to save bread, mirroring the image of tea staving off hunger.
How to Use It
Used when employing a temporary fix to manage a situation or when advising someone to take any available action, however small, to get through a difficult moment.
Tone
Practical and pragmatic.
Examples
茶腹も一時だ。とりあえずお茶でも飲んで空腹を紛らわそう。
It is just a temporary fix. Let's at least drink some tea to distract ourselves from the hunger for now.
完璧な解決策ではないが、茶腹も一時で、まずはこれで凌ぐしかない。
It's not a perfect solution, but since any makeshift measure helps, we have to get by with this for now.
茶腹も一時と言うから、少しでも食べておいた方がいい。
They say even a little bit helps tide you over, so you should eat at least a small amount.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
The vocabulary (tea, stomach, moment) is simple, but the reading of 一時 as 'ittoki' and the metaphorical application to makeshift solutions require intermediate knowledge.
茶
ちゃ / cha
tea
腹
はら / hara
stomach; belly
一時
いっとき / ittoki
a moment; a short time
Usage Profile
Usage note: It acknowledges that the current solution is only temporary and not a full resolution.
Misread Risk
Do not use this to imply a problem is completely solved; it specifically refers to a temporary measure that only lasts for a short time.
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Source Note
Where did this entry get its data from? The reference links are listed below. To understand how to read this section, see Data Sources.