遠水不解近渴

lit. distant water does not cure present thirst; fig. urgent need / a slow remedy does not address immediate needs

far / distant / remote / (intensifier in a comparison) by far / much (lower etc)

to distance oneself from (classical)

surname Shui

water / river / liquid / beverage / additional charges or income / (of clothes) classifier for number of washes

no; not so / (bound form) not; un-

to not understand / to be puzzled by / indissoluble

surname Xie

to divide / to break up / to split / to separate / to dissolve / to solve / to melt / to remove / to untie / to loosen / to open / to emancipate / to explain / to understand / to know / a solution / a dissection

to transport under guard

acrobatic display (esp. on horseback) (old) / variant of 懈[xie4] and 邂[xie4] (old)

near / close to / approximately

thirsty