水中捞月 — “To make futile efforts”
水中捞月 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to make futile efforts”. To pursue an impossible goal; to waste one's efforts on a task that is doomed to fail, like trying to scoop the moon's reflection from the water. Literally, “To scoop the moon from the water”.
水中捞月 Pronunciation and Pinyin
- 水shuǐ
- 中zhōng
- 捞lāo
- 月yuè
水中捞月 Character Breakdown
Example Sentence with 水中捞月
Origin and Story of 水中捞月
Sun Wukong, eager to transcend the cycle of life and death, traveled across vast continents and oceans in search of a way. He eventually became a disciple of the Puti Patriarch, spending six or seven years diligently studying scriptures, discussing doctrines with his fellow disciples, sweeping, and tending the garden.
One day, the Patriarch asked Wukong, "What do you wish to learn?" Wukong replied, "Whatever my honorable teacher instructs." The Patriarch asked, "Shall I teach you to invite immortals, practice divination, and avoid misfortune?" Wukong asked, "Will it grant me immortality?" The Patriarch said, "No!" Wukong responded, "I won't learn that! I won't learn that!"
The Patriarch then asked, "Shall I teach you to recite scriptures, pray to Buddha, and worship deities?" Wukong asked, "Will it grant me immortality?" The Patriarch said, "No!" Wukong replied, "I won't learn that! I won't learn that!"
The Patriarch asked, "Shall I teach you to abstain from grains, practice inaction, meditate, and observe a vegetarian diet?" Wukong asked, "Will it grant me immortality?" The Patriarch said, "No!" Wukong replied, "I won't learn that! I won't learn that!"
Finally, the Patriarch asked, "Shall I teach you the methods of 'collecting yin to nourish yang' and alchemy?" Wukong asked, "Will that also grant immortality?" The Patriarch replied, "If you seek immortality through these, it would be like 'scooping the moon from the water'." Wukong inquired, "What does 'scooping the moon from the water' mean?" The Patriarch explained, "The moon is in the sky, and in the water, there is only its reflection. Although you can see it, you can never scoop it up. It is ultimately just a futile fantasy." Wukong declared, "I won't learn that either! I won't learn that either!"
Seeing Wukong's unwavering determination, the Patriarch finally imparted the secret of immortality to him.
Idioms Related to 水中捞月
Antonyms of 水中捞月
More idioms starting with 水
- shuǐ水zhōng中zhuō捉yuè月chase an illusion
- shuǐ水zhōng中zhuó著yán盐blend in perfectly without a trace
- shuǐ水rǔ乳zhī之qì契inseparable and harmonious relationship
- shuǐ水rǔ乳jiāo交róng融blend perfectly together
- shuǐ水pèi佩fēng风shang裳adorned with water and wind
- shuǐ水guāng光shān山sè色picturesque natural landscapes
- shuǐ水guāng光jiē接tiān天shimmering water merges with sky
- shuǐ水jìng净é鹅fēi飞lose everything, utterly destitute
- shuǐ水zé则zài载zhōu舟，，shuǐ水zé则fù覆zhōu舟What sustains can also destroy
- shuǐ水dào到qú渠chéng成When conditions are ripe, success will follow
- shuǐ水dào到yú鱼xíng行When conditions are ripe, success follows naturally
- shuǐ水shèng剩shān山cán残devastated landscape after calamity
Questions about 水中捞月
- What does 水中捞月 mean?
- 水中捞月 (shuǐ zhōng lāo yuè) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to make futile efforts”.
- How do you pronounce 水中捞月?
- 水中捞月 is pronounced shuǐ zhōng lāo yuè in Mandarin Chinese.
- What does 水中捞月 literally mean?
- Literally, 水中捞月 means “to scoop the moon from the water”. It is used to mean “to make futile efforts”.
- Where does 水中捞月 come from?
- 水中捞月 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
- What is the Chinese definition of 水中捞月?
- 到水中去捞月亮。比喻去做根本做不到的事情，只能白费力气。