竭泽而渔 — “To drain the pond to catch all the fish”

竭泽而渔 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to drain the pond to catch all the fish”. To destroy the resource for a temporary gain; to seek immediate benefits without considering future consequences; to exploit resources exhaustively, leaving nothing for the future. Literally, “Drain the pond to catch fish”.

Frequency

竭泽而渔 Pronunciation and Pinyin

竭泽而渔 Character Breakdown

Stroke Order

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Meaning
竭	jié	14	exhaust, use up, do utmost
泽	zé	8	marsh, luster, favor, cleanse
而	ér	6	and, but, then
渔	yú	11	to fish; exploit

Example Sentence with 竭泽而渔

如果只顾眼前利益，对自然资源竭泽而渔，最终受害的还是我们自己。

If we only focus on immediate gains and exploit natural resources exhaustively, we will ultimately be the ones to suffer.

Origin and Story of 竭泽而渔

During the Spring and Autumn Period, Duke Wen of Jin led his army to confront the powerful Chu army at Chengpu. He asked his advisor, Hu Yan, how to defeat them.

Hu Yan proposed a deceptive strategy.

Duke Wen then asked Yong Ji for his opinion. Yong Ji replied that using deception was like draining the pond to catch all the fish; by the next year, there would be no fish left. He emphasized that victory in war ultimately depended on genuine strength.

Duke Wen of Jin used Hu Yan's strategy to defeat the Chu army.

However, when awarding merits, Yong Ji was ranked above Hu Yan. Duke Wen explained, "How can we consider a temporary gain to be more important than a long-term plan?"