<p>It's a real proverb and means what your quote says it means.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><a href="https://zh.wiktionary.org/zh/%E6%8C%89%E4%B8%8B%E8%91%AB%E8%98%86%E6%B5%AE%E8%B5%B7%E7%93%A2" rel="nofollow">按下葫芦浮起瓢</a>  (<em>àn xià hú lú fú qǐ piáo</em>)<br>
  variant: 按下葫芦又起瓢 (<em>... yòu qǐ piáo</em>)</p>
</blockquote>

<p>葫芦 and 瓢 are two different words for <em>gourd</em>, similar to a pumpkin. These were used to collect water, so that's why you would want to hold them under water.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-05-04T10:54:04.787Z
2016-05-04T10:54:04.787Z
KWeiss
<p>It's also used to measure how good someone is with Kongfu - be able to handle or deal with multiple opponents at a time. 
手忙脚乱
应接不遐</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-05-03T18:32:06.130Z
2016-05-03T18:32:06.130Z
user54188
<p>Recently, I read this Chinese proverb. It looked amazing, but I wasn't able to find the Chinese version (or even find out if it actually existed). </p>

<p>"One cannot manage too many affairs: like pumpkins in the water, one pops up while you try to hold down the other.
- Chinese Proverb" </p>

<p>If you know how it translates, that would be a great help! </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-29T21:57:46.943Z
try 按下葫芦浮起瓢，e.g.feed to iciba
    释义

    hardly have one gourd been pushed under water when another bobs up; solve one problem only to find another cropping up; too busy to attend to all
user6065
<proverb>
Is this a real Chinese Proverb? (Pumpkins and Time Management)
# Is this a real Chinese Proverb? (Pumpkins and Time Management)

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-04-29)

Recently, I read this Chinese proverb. It looked amazing, but I wasn't able to find the Chinese version (or even find out if it actually existed).

"One cannot manage too many affairs: like pumpkins in the water, one pops up while you try to hold down the other.
- Chinese Proverb"

If you know how it translates, that would be a great help!

**Tags:** proverb

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: try 按下葫芦浮起瓢，e.g.feed to iciba     释义      hardly have one gourd been pushed under water when another bobs up; solve one problem only to find another cropping up; too busy to attend to all  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-05-04. Score: 3

It's a real proverb and means what your quote says it means.

> [按下葫芦浮起瓢](https://zh.wiktionary.org/zh/%E6%8C%89%E4%B8%8B%E8%91%AB%E8%98%86%E6%B5%AE%E8%B5%B7%E7%93%A2) (*àn xià hú lú fú qǐ piáo*)  
> variant: 按下葫芦又起瓢 (*... yòu qǐ piáo*)

葫芦 and 瓢 are two different words for *gourd*, similar to a pumpkin. These were used to collect water, so that's why you would want to hold them under water.


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### Answer by username_3 on 2016-05-03. Score: 0

It's also used to measure how good someone is with Kongfu - be able to handle or deal with multiple opponents at a time.
手忙脚乱
应接不遐


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