Definition
This is a Chinese proverb (成语) that literally means 'When the cart reaches the foot of the mountain, there will surely be a road.' It expresses optimism and faith that a solution will appear when you actually face a problem — similar to 'cross that bridge when you come to it' or 'things will work out.' You can use it to encourage someone who is worrying about a future difficulty, implying that they shouldn't overthink and that a way forward will emerge naturally.
f.e.
things will eventually sort themselves outthere's always a way forward when the time comes
Examples
- ，车到山前必有路，。Bié dānxīn, chē dào shān qián bì yǒu lù, dào shíhou zìrán yǒu bànfǎ.Don't worry — when the time comes, a solution will appear naturally.
- 车到山前必有路，。Tā zǒng shuō chē dào shān qián bì yǒu lù, suǒyǐ yùdào kùnnán cóng bù huāngzhāng.He always says things will work out, so he never panics when facing difficulties.
- ，车到山前必有路，。Suīrán xiànzài wèntí hěn duō, dàn chē dào shān qián bì yǒu lù, wǒmen jìxù nǔlì jiù hǎo.Although there are many problems now, there's always a way forward — we just need to keep working hard.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.