"a day late and a dollar short" in Chinese (Simplified)

• 来得太晚，帮不上什么忙
• 晚了一步又帮不上

Definition

这个表达意思是做事时机太晚而且不够到位，无法改变结果；努力已经没有用了。

Usage Notes (Chinese (Simplified))

属于口语，常带有讽刺意味，用来评价迟到又微小的帮助或行动。类似于“亡羊补牢为时已晚”。

Examples

Sorry, your advice is a day late and a dollar short.

抱歉，你的建议**来得太晚，帮不上什么忙**。

Their help was a day late and a dollar short after the event ended.

活动结束后，他们的帮助**晚了一步又帮不上**。

She offered to fix it, but it was a day late and a dollar short.

她提出帮忙修理，但已经**来得太晚，帮不上什么忙**了。

When they finally sent the invitation, it was a day late and a dollar short.

他们终于发出邀请时，已经**来得太晚，帮不上什么忙**了。

You showed up with coffee, but it’s a day late and a dollar short—the meeting’s over.

你带着咖啡来了，但**来得太晚，帮不上什么忙**——会议已经结束了。

He tried to apologize, but it was a day late and a dollar short after what happened.

事情发生后，他试图道歉，但已经**来得太晚，帮不上什么忙**了。