chữa lợn lành thành lợn què

Vietnamese

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [t͡ɕɨə˦ˀ˥ ləːn˧˨ʔ lajŋ̟˨˩ tʰajŋ̟˨˩ ləːn˧˨ʔ kwɛ˨˩]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [t͡ɕɨə˧˨ ləːŋ˨˩ʔ lɛɲ˦˩ tʰɛɲ˦˩ ləːŋ˨˩ʔ kwɛ˦˩]
• (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA^(key): [cɨə˨˩˦ ləːŋ˨˩˨ lan˨˩ tʰan˨˩ ləːŋ˨˩˨ wɛ˨˩]

Verb

chữa lợn lành thành lợn què

1. (literal) to try to "cure" a healthy pig and end up making it lame
2. (figurative) to try to fix it while it ain't broke and end up breaking it