及时雨

及時雨
jíshíyǔ
noun #74,151

Measure Word

Meanings

  1. 1 timely rain
  2. 2 (figurative) timely help; aid that arrives exactly when needed
  3. 3 nickname of Song Jiang in 《水浒传》

Examples

Zhè bǐ dàikuǎn zhēn shì jíshíyǔ.
This loan is truly a godsend.
Sòng Jiāng rén chēng Jíshíyǔ.
Song Jiang is nicknamed 'Timely Rain'.

Tips

culture
Literally the rain that falls just as a parched field needs it. In 《水浒传》 Song Jiang earns the nickname because his money and influence reach travellers exactly when their situation is desperate — the same way a drought-ending shower arrives. The figurative meaning (any timely help) is completely productive in modern Chinese.
usage
Very common in news and casual speech: 政府补贴中小企业及时雨 ('government subsidies are a timely rain for small businesses'). No formality restriction.

Stroke Order

shí