治标不治本

治

zhì

标

標

bia̅o

不

bù

治

zhì

本

běn

to treat the symptoms but not the root cause

Characters and words in 治标不治本

治

zhì = zh + Ø4

to rule / to govern / to manage / to control / to harness (a river) / to treat (a disease) / to wipe out (a pest) / to punish / to research

治 = 台 + 氵 : Due to a technical failure there is a water shortage in the space station. James II of England (zh) has taken over the task to manage (治) and regulate the water, and he does so by sitting behind a counter (台) in the space station's bathroom (Ø4) and handing out bottled water (氵).

治

zhì

标

標

bia̅o

to treat only the symptoms but not the root cause

标

標

bia̅o = bi + ao1

mark / sign / label / to mark with a symbol, label, lettering etc / to bear (a brand name, registration number etc) / prize / award / bid / target / quota / (old) the topmost branches of a tree / visible symptom / classifier for military units

标 = 木 + 示 : 标 is a part of 标志, the word for "logo", like the one with the famous puma.

不

bù = bu + Ø4

(negative prefix) / not / no

不 = 丆 + 卜 : Bruno Bear (bu) is setting up a wind wheel (丆) with a voodoo staff (卜) in the space station's bathroom (Ø4). He also puts a "forbidden" sign (mnemonic symbol for 不) on it, to make clear that it may not (不) be stopped.