缘木求鱼
yuán mù qiú yú
to climb a tree to look for fish; to use the wrong means for a goal
Character by character
缘yuán
climb
climb
木mù
tree
tree
求qiú
seek
seek
鱼yú
fish
fish
Example
想靠死记硬背学好口语，只能是缘木求鱼。
Trying to learn to speak by rote memorisation is like climbing a tree to catch fish: it cannot work.
Tone: negative (criticism).
Usage and origin
From Mencius (《孟子·梁惠王上》), who told King Xuan of Qi that seeking his ambitions by war was like climbing a tree for fish. Written and critical; often after 无异于 (no different from), 好比 or 简直是, about a method that cannot possibly work.
Learn this in Lesson 149 · HSK 7–9: 中国足球为什么难 (Why Chinese football struggles)
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.
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