平时不烧香,临时抱佛脚

píng shí bù shāo xiāng , lín shí bào fó jiǎo

lit. to never burn incense when all's well, but clutch Buddha's feet in a crisis (proverb)

fig. to neglect preparation until the last moment, then act in panic

平

píng

flat

时

shí

o'clock

不

bù

no; not so

烧

shāo

to burn

香

xiāng

fragrant

,

,

临

lín

to face

时

shí

o'clock

抱

bào

to hold

佛

fó

Buddha; Buddhism (abbr. for 佛陀[Fo2 tuo2])

脚

jiǎo

foot