懒驴上磨,不赶不上道懶驢上磨,不趕不上道懶驢上磨,不趕不上道

A lazy donkey at the millstone: if you don't drive it, it won't get on the track

Saying俗语俗語

Two-part saying歇后语歇後語 · Widely known

Meaning: Says a lazy person won't get down to proper work unless someone keeps pushing. Critical.
Wordplay: 道 (dào) means literally the path around the mill and figuratively the "right track" of proper behaviour or work.

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Simplified: 懒驴上磨,不赶不上道
Traditional (Taiwan): 懶驢上磨,不趕不上道
Pinyin: lǎn lǘ shàng mò,bù gǎnbúshàng dào
Pinyin (Taiwan): lǎn lǘ shàng mó,bù gǎnbúshàng dào
Bopomofo: ㄌㄢˇ ㄌㄩˊ ㄕㄤˋ ㄇㄛˊ,ㄅㄨˋ ㄍㄢˇ ㄅㄨˊ ㄕㄤˋ ㄉㄠˋ

Written with HSK 7-9 vocabulary, at CEFR level C1.

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