远水救不了近火

1. • water in a distant place is of little use in putting out a fire right here
2. • a slow remedy does not address the current emergency

     fig.

Character by character

• 远(yuǎn)far
• 水(shuǐ)surname Shui
• 救(jiù)save
• 不(bu)no
• 了(liǎo)finish
• 近(jìn)near
• 火(huǒ)surname Huo