不到火候不揭锅

Traditional form:

不到火候不揭鍋

Pinyin (reading):

bùdàohuǒhòubùjiēguō

Definitions:

• don't act until the time is ripe (idiom)

Characters:

• 不 - no, not, un-; negative prefix
• 到 - to go to, to arrive
• 火 - fire, flame; to burn; anger, rage
• 候 - to wait, to expect; to visit; to greet
• 不 - no, not, un-; negative prefix
• 揭 - to lift off a cover; to reveal, to divulge; surname
• 锅 - cooking-pot, saucepan

Traditional characters:

• 不 - no, not, un-; negative prefix
• 到 - to go to, to arrive
• 火 - fire, flame; to burn; anger, rage
• 候 - to wait, to expect; to visit; to greet
• 不 - no, not, un-; negative prefix
• 揭 - to lift off a cover; to reveal, to divulge; surname
• 鍋 - cooking-pot, saucepan