雪中送炭

xuě zhōng sòng tàn

help when it is most needed

Character by character

雪xuě
snow

中zhōng
in

送sòng
send

炭tàn
charcoal

这笔贷款对村民来说真是雪中送炭。

For the villagers this loan was help exactly when it was needed.

Tone: positive (praise).

Its opposite number is 锦上添花, adding flowers to brocade.

Learn this in Lesson 58 · HSK 6: 乡村振兴 (The countryside)

A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.