Fishing for the moon in the water? [ shuǐ zhōng lāo yuè ]?

The vocabulary book

Basic meaning? Detailed definition?

[ shuǐ zhōng lāo yuè ]

To go into the water to fish for the moon. It is a metaphor for doing something that can't be done at all, but only in vain.

Origin

Song - Huang Tingjian's "Qinyuanchun" lyrics: "Fishing for flowers in the mirror, catching the moon in the water, I see no way to get close to Yi."

Near antonyms

Near synonyms

Seeking the skin of a tiger? To find a fish in a woodpile? Finding a needle in a haystack? To find the moon under the water? to be a bad influence on the future of the world? A person's life is not as good as his or her life. A basket of water in a futile endeavor

Antonyms

Taking something out of a bag? a person's name is not a word? a person in a jar? a person who has been in a position to make a difference? effective

These words have been used to describe the effect of a change in the way a person is treated.