杯水車薪

From Mencius (《孟子·告子上》):

孟子曰：「仁之勝不仁也，猶水勝火。今之為仁者，猶以一杯水，救一車薪之火也；不熄，則謂之水不勝火，此又與於不仁之甚者也。亦終必亡而已矣。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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孟子曰：“仁之胜不仁也，犹水胜火。今之为仁者，犹以一杯水，救一车薪之火也；不熄，则谓之水不胜火，此又与于不仁之甚者也。亦终必亡而已矣。” [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Mèngzǐ yuē: “Rén zhī shèng bùrén yě, yóu shuǐ shèng huǒ. Jīn zhī wéi rén zhě, yóu yǐ yī bēi shuǐ, jiù yī chē xīn zhī huǒ yě; bù xī, zé wèi zhī shuǐ bù shèng huǒ, cǐ yòu yǔ yú bùrén zhī shèn zhě yě. Yì zhōng bì wáng éryǐ yǐ.” [Pinyin]

Mencius said, "Benevolence subdues its opposite just as water subdues fire. Those, however, who now-a-days practice benevolence do it as if with one cup of water they could save a whole wagon-load of fuel which was on fire, and when the flames were not extinguished, were to say that water cannot subdue fire. This conduct, moreover, greatly encourages those who are not benevolent. The final issue will simply be this: the loss of that small amount of benevolence."

杯水車薪

1. too inadequate and useless; to no avail