緣木求魚

See also: 缘木求鱼

Chinese

	along; predestined affinity; reason along; predestined affinity; reason; edge	tree; wood	to seek; to look for; to request to seek; to look for; to request; to demand; to beseech	fish
trad. (緣木求魚)	緣	木	求	魚
simp. (缘木求鱼)	缘	木	求	鱼
Literally: “to seek for fish in a tree”.

Etymology

From Mencius (《孟子·梁惠王上》):

曰：「殆有甚焉。緣木求魚，雖不得魚，無後災。以若所為，求若所欲，盡心力而為之，後必有災。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

曰：「殆有甚焉。缘木求鱼，虽不得鱼，无后灾。以若所为，求若所欲，尽心力而为之，后必有灾。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Yuē: “Dài yǒu shèn yān. Yuán mù qiú yú, suī bùdé yú, wú hòu zāi. Yǐ ruò suǒ wéi, qiú ruò suǒ yù, jìn xīnlì ér wéi zhī, hòu bì yǒu zāi.” [Pinyin]

"It is even worse," was the reply. "If you climb a tree to seek for fish, although you do not get the fish, you will not suffer any subsequent calamity. But doing what you do to seek for what you desire, doing it moreover with all your heart, you will assuredly afterwards meet with calamities."

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): yuánmùqiúyú

(Zhuyin): ㄩㄢˊ ㄇㄨˋ ㄑㄧㄡˊ ㄩˊ
Cantonese (Jyutping): jyun⁴ muk⁶ kau⁴ jyu⁴
Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): iân-bo̍k-kiû-gû / iân-bo̍k-kiû-hî / iân-bo̍k-kiû-hû

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: yuánmùqiúyú
  - Zhuyin: ㄩㄢˊ ㄇㄨˋ ㄑㄧㄡˊ ㄩˊ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: yuánmùcióuyú
  - Wade–Giles: yüan²-mu⁴-chʻiu²-yü²
  - Yale: ywán-mù-chyóu-yú
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yuanmuhchyouyu
  - Palladius: юаньмуцююй (juanʹmucjujuj)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɥɛn³⁵ mu⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi̯oʊ̯³⁵ y³⁵/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: jyun⁴ muk⁶ kau⁴ jyu⁴
  - Yale: yùhn muhk kàuh yùh
  - Cantonese Pinyin: jyn⁴ muk⁹ kau⁴ jy⁴
  - Guangdong Romanization: yun⁴ mug⁶ keo⁴ yu⁴
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /jyːn²¹ mʊk̚² kʰɐu̯²¹ jyː²¹/
Southern Min
- (Hokkien: Xiamen)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: iân-bo̍k-kiû-gû
  - Tâi-lô: iân-bo̍k-kiû-gû
  - Phofsit Daibuun: ienbogkiu'guu
  - IPA (Xiamen): /iɛn²⁴⁻²² bɔk̚⁴⁻³² kiu²⁴⁻²² ɡu²⁴/
- (Hokkien: General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: iân-bo̍k-kiû-hî
  - Tâi-lô: iân-bo̍k-kiû-hî
  - Phofsit Daibuun: ienbogkiu'hii
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /iɛn²³⁻³³ bɔk̚⁴⁻³² kiu²³⁻³³ hi²³/
- (Hokkien: General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: iân-bo̍k-kiû-hû
  - Tâi-lô: iân-bo̍k-kiû-hû
  - Phofsit Daibuun: ienbogkiu'huu
  - IPA (Taipei): /iɛn²⁴⁻¹¹ bɔk̚⁴⁻³² kiu²⁴⁻¹¹ hu²⁴/

Idiom

緣木求魚

to pursue an end by impossible or unjustifiable means