Usage of the character 鱼

yuxiang, a seasoning of Chinese cuisine that typically contains garlic, scallions, ginger, sugar, salt, chili peppers etc (Although "yuxiang" literally means "fish fragrance", it contains no seafood.)

yúlín

鱼鳞

[魚鱗]

fish scales

yōngyú

鳙鱼

[鱅魚]

bighead carp
Hypophthalmichthys nobilis

yúcāng

鱼舱

[魚艙]

the fish hold (of a fishing vessel)

yúshǔ

鱼薯

[魚薯]

fish and chips (abbr. for 炸魚薯條／炸鱼薯条 (zháyúshǔtiáo))

guìyú

鳜鱼

[鱖魚]

mandarin fish
Chinese perch (Siniperca chuatsi)

yú'ěr

鱼饵

[魚餌]

fish bait

bǔyú

捕鱼

[捕魚]

to catch fish; to fish

dāoyú

刀鱼

[刀魚]

tapertail anchovy (Coilia ectenes)
various species of cutlassfish
saury

yúfàn

鱼贩

[魚販]

fishmonger

yúpiàn

鱼片

[魚片]

fish fillet
slice of fish meat

Jiāyú

嘉鱼

[嘉魚]

Jiayu county in Xianning 咸寧／咸宁 ( Xiánníng), Hubei

yínyú

银鱼

[銀魚]

oriental whitebait
slender silvery-white fish e.g. Galaxias maculatus and Salangichthys microdon

kuàiyú

鲙鱼

[鱠魚]

Chinese herring (Ilisha elongata)

yúchì

鱼翅

[魚翅]

shark fin

yúgān

鱼竿

[魚竿]

fishing rod

Yúchí

鱼池

[魚池]

Yuchi or Yuchih Township in Nantou County 南投縣／南投县 ( Nántóu Xiàn), central Taiwan

yìnyú

印鱼

[印魚]

shark sucker (Echeneis naucrates)

yúzǐ

鱼子

[魚子]

fish eggs
roe
caviar

zhāngyú

𫠒鱼

[鱆魚]

variant of 章魚／章鱼 (zhāngyu)

hóngyú

𫚉鱼

[魟魚]

skate (cartilaginous fish belonging to the family Rajidae)
stingray

cáobáiyú

曹白鱼

[曹白魚]

Chinese herring (Ilisha elongata)
white herring
slender shad

jīnyúcǎo

金鱼草

[金魚草]

snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus)

yúlèixué

鱼类学

[魚類學]

ichthyology

tūnnáyú

吞拿鱼

[吞拿魚]

tuna (loanword)

měirényú

美人鱼

[美人魚]

mermaid

Yìnggǔyú

硬骨鱼

[硬骨魚]

bony fishes
Osteichthyes (taxonomic class including most fish)

ruǎngǔyú

软骨鱼

[軟骨魚]

cartilaginous fish (such as sharks)

shuǐdīyú

水滴鱼

[水滴魚]

blobfish (Psychrolutes marcidus)

shíbānyú

石斑鱼

[石斑魚]

grouper (Portuguese: garoupa)
also called 鮨
Epinephelinae (subfamily of Serranidae, fish family including grouper)

Nányúzuò

南鱼座

[南魚座]

Piscis Austrinus (constellation)

yúchìtāng

鱼翅汤

[魚翅湯]

shark fin soup

bānyúgǒu

斑鱼狗

[斑魚狗]

(bird species of China) pied kingfisher (Ceryle rudis)

xīpányú

吸盘鱼

[吸盤魚]

shark sucker (Echeneis naucrates)

dàhuángyú

大黄鱼

[大黃魚]

Croceine croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea), a fish popular in Cantonese cooking

zhānchuányú

粘船鱼

[粘船魚]

shark sucker (Echeneis naucrates)

jīnqiāngyú

金枪鱼

[金槍魚]

tuna

yúchìguā

鱼翅瓜

[魚翅瓜]

spaghetti squash (Cucurbita pepo)

jiājíyú

加吉鱼

[加吉魚]

porgy (Pagrosomus major)

bānmǎyú

斑马鱼

[斑馬魚]

zebrafish

zhāngyúshāo

章鱼烧

[章魚燒]

takoyaki (octopus dumpling), a Japanese snack food

Yúchí Xiāng

鱼池乡

[魚池鄉]

Yuchi or Yuchih Township in Nantou County 南投縣／南投县 ( Nántóu Xiàn), central Taiwan

Jiànyúzuò

剑鱼座

[劍魚座]

Dorado (constellation)

yúdùbái

鱼肚白

[魚肚白]

fish-belly white (used to describe the dingy light of the dawn sky)

Jīngyúzuò

鲸鱼座

[鯨魚座]

Cetus (constellation)

bādàiyú

八带鱼

[八帶魚]

octopus

tántúyú

弹涂鱼

[彈塗魚]

mudskipper (amphibious fish)

Yúfēngqū

鱼峰区

[魚峰區]

Yufeng district of Liuzhou city 柳州市 ( Liǔzhōushì), Guangxi

Diàoyútái

钓鱼台

[釣魚臺]

Diaoyu Islands, located between Taiwan and Okinawa, controlled by Japan – which calls them the Senkaku Islands – but claimed by China

jīnyúlǎo

金鱼佬

[金魚佬]

pedophile (slang, referring to the case of a Hong Kong child abductor who lured girls with the prospect of seeing "goldfish" in his apartment)

diàoyúgān

钓鱼杆

[釣魚杆]

fishing rod
CL:根 (gēn)

dànshuǐyú

淡水鱼

[淡水魚]

freshwater fish

ōudiéyú

欧蝶鱼

[歐蝶魚]

plaice

shuǐhǔyú

水虎鱼

[水虎魚]

piranha (fish)

diāoyúshāo

鲷鱼烧

[鯛魚燒]

taiyaki, Japanese-style waffle made with a fish-shaped mold, typically filled with a sweet bean paste

bāshāyú

巴沙鱼

[巴沙魚]

(loanword) basa (Pangasius bocourti)

jiānzuǐyú

尖嘴鱼

[尖嘴魚]

Indo-Pacific wrasse (Gomphosus varius)

huángyúchē

黄鱼车

[黃魚車]

lit. croaker car
flatbed tricycle
delivery tricycle

duōbǎoyú

多宝鱼

[多寶魚]

turbot
European imported turbot
same as 大菱鮃／大菱鲆

chāiyúgēng

拆鱼羹

[拆魚羹]

hand-shredded fish soup, a speciality of Shunde 順德／顺德 ( Shundè)

yúgānnü

鱼干女

[魚乾女]

see 乾物女／干物女 (gānwùnü)

wúguōyú

吴郭鱼

[吳郭魚]

(Tw) tilapia

fēiyúzú

飞鱼族

[飛魚族]

"flying fish family", family who sacrifice everything to send their children abroad to study

dàdiéyú

大鲽鱼

[大鰈魚]

turbot fish

Fēiyúzuò

飞鱼座

[飛魚座]

Volans (constellation)

yúléitǐng

鱼雷艇

[魚雷艇]

torpedo boat

Zéiyúchōng

鲗鱼涌

[鰂魚涌]

Quarry Bay (area in Hong Kong)

huángdàiyú

皇带鱼

[皇帶魚]

giant oarfish (Regalecus glesne)

yúwěibǎn

鱼尾板

[魚尾板]

fishplate (in railway engineering)

xiǎochǒuyú

小丑鱼

[小丑魚]

clownfish
anemonefish

wūyúzǐ

乌鱼子

[烏魚子]

mullet roe (salted and dried)
bottarga

zuǒkǒuyú

左口鱼

[左口魚]

flounder

yǎngyúgāng

养鱼缸

[養魚缸]

aquarium
fish tank

yǎluóyú

雅罗鱼

[雅羅魚]

dace

Bàyúquān

鲅鱼圈

[鮁魚圈]

Bayuquan District of Yingkou City 營口市／营口市 ( Yíngkǒushì), Liaoning

tángjiǎoyú

塘角鱼

[塘角魚]

Hong Kong catfish (Clarias fuscus)

bǐmùyú

比目鱼

[比目魚]

flatfish
flounder

tǔlíngyú

土鲮鱼

[土鯪魚]

see 鯪／鲮 (líng)

èyújiā

鳄鱼夹

[鱷魚夾]

crocodile clip
spring clip

wénchāngyú

文昌鱼

[文昌魚]

lancelet (Branchiostoma lanceolatum), a primitive fish

zhēmùyú

遮目鱼

[遮目魚]

milkfish (Chanos chanos)

shírényú

食人鱼

[食人魚]

piranha

dēnglóngyú

灯笼鱼

[燈籠魚]

lantern fish

suōziyú

梭子鱼

[梭子魚]

barracuda

zīyútóu

鲻鱼头

[鯔魚頭]

mullet (hairstyle)

yúwěiwén

鱼尾纹

[魚尾紋]

wrinkles of the skin
crow's feet

luófēiyú

罗非鱼

[羅非魚]

tilapia

fānchēyú

翻车鱼

[翻車魚]

ocean sunfish (Mola mola)

chìjīngyú

赤睛鱼

[赤睛魚]

rudd

chǎoyóuyú

炒鱿鱼

[炒魷魚]

(coll.) to fire sb
to sack sb

chángyìnyú

长印鱼

[長印魚]

shark sucker (Echeneis naucrates)

yúzǐjiàng

鱼子酱

[魚子醬]

caviar

bāzhuǎyú

八爪鱼

[八爪魚]

octopus

Diàoyú Dǎo

钓鱼岛

[釣魚島]

Diaoyu Islands, claimed by China but controlled by Japan as the Senkaku Islands, also called the Pinnacle Islands

lǐyúqí

鲤鱼旗

[鯉魚旗]

koinobori, a Japanese carp-shaped windsock flown to celebrate Children's Day

Shuāngyúzuò

双鱼座

[雙魚座]

Pisces (constellation and sign of the zodiac)

báidàiyú

白带鱼

[白帶魚]

largehead hairtail
beltfish
Trichiurus lepturus

shīmùyú

虱目鱼

[虱目魚]

milkfish (Chanos chanos)

yúxīngcǎo

鱼腥草

[魚腥草]

chameleon plant; fish mint (Houttuynia cordata)

luóhànyú

罗汉鱼

[羅漢魚]

flowerhorn cichlid

huánghuāyú

黄花鱼

[黃花魚]

yellow croaker (fish)
corvina

dùyúzi

蠹鱼子

[蠹魚子]

silverfish
CL:隻／只 (zhī)

yúgānyóu

鱼肝油

[魚肝油]

cod liver oil

shēngyúpiàn

生鱼片

[生魚片]

sashimi

pàngtóuyú

胖头鱼

[胖頭魚]

see 鱅魚／鳙鱼 (yōngyú)

jūncáoyú

军曹鱼

[軍曹魚]

cobia or black kingfish (Rachycentron canadum)

yúzuǐxié

鱼嘴鞋

[魚嘴鞋]

open-toed shoe
peep-toe

xiāhǔyú

虾虎鱼

[蝦虎魚]

goby (flat fish, Gobiidae)

cháiyúpiàn

柴鱼片

[柴魚片]

katsuobushi or dried bonito flakes (paper-thin shavings of preserved skipjack tuna)

diàoyúzhě

钓鱼者

[釣魚者]

angler

sānwényú

三文鱼

[三文魚]

salmon (loanword)

húguāyú

胡瓜鱼

[胡瓜魚]

smelt (family Osmeridae)

yǎngyúchí

养鱼池

[養魚池]

fishpond

yúlìzhèn

鱼丽阵

[魚麗陣]

(archaic) formation of infantrymen led by chariots

shílíngyú

石鲮鱼

[石鯪魚]

pangolin (Manis pentadactylata)
scaly ant-eater

Jiāyúxiàn

嘉鱼县

[嘉魚縣]

Jiayu county in Xianning 咸寧／咸宁 ( Xiánníng), Hubei

tángcùyú

糖醋鱼

[糖醋魚]

sweet and sour fish

yúgōur

鱼钩儿

[魚鉤兒]

erhua variant of 魚鉤／鱼钩 (yúgōu)

qiūdāoyú

秋刀鱼

[秋刀魚]

Pacific saury (Cololabis saira)

jīnyúzǎo

金鱼藻

[金魚藻]

hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum)

yúshuǐqíng

鱼水情

[魚水情]

close relationship as between fish and water

rèdàiyú

热带鱼

[熱帶魚]

tropical fish

Yútái Xiàn

鱼台县

[魚台縣]

Yutai County in Jining 濟寧／济宁 ( Jǐníng), Shandong

guānyúgǒu

冠鱼狗

[冠魚狗]

(bird species of China) crested kingfisher (Megaceryle lugubris)

shuǐzhǔyú

水煮鱼

[水煮魚]

Sichuan poached sliced fish in hot chili oil

shādīngyú

沙丁鱼

[沙丁魚]

sardine (loanword)

fèngwěiyú

凤尾鱼

[鳳尾魚]

anchovy

pípayú

琵琶鱼

[琵琶魚]

anglerfish

tǔtuōyú

土魠鱼

[土魠魚]

see 馬鮫魚／马鲛鱼 (mǎjiāoyú)

wáwayú

娃娃鱼

[娃娃魚]

Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus)

Liáng Chényú

梁辰鱼

[梁辰魚]

Liang Chenyu (1521-1594), Ming dramatist of the Kunshan opera school

qiāngjíyú

腔棘鱼

[腔棘魚]

coelacanth

yānzhīyú

胭脂鱼

[胭脂魚]

Chinese high-fin banded shark (Myxocyprinus asiaticus)

yìntóuyú

印头鱼

[印頭魚]

shark sucker (Echeneis naucrates)

mànbōyú

曼波鱼

[曼波魚]

ocean sunfish (Mola mola)

shānjiāoyú

山椒鱼

[山椒魚]

Hynobius formosanus
Taiwan salamander

mùyúhuā

木鱼花

[木魚花]

see 柴魚片／柴鱼片 (cháiyúpiàn)

yúxùnqī

鱼汛期

[魚汛期]

variant of 漁汛期／渔汛期 (yúxùnqī)

wěiyúdù

鲔鱼肚

[鮪魚肚]

(cuisine) tuna belly
(Tw) (fig.) (coll.) potbelly
paunch

mǎjiāoyú

马鲛鱼

[馬鮫魚]

Spanish mackerel

yúròubǎixìng

鱼肉百姓

[魚肉百姓]

to prey on the people

shuǐqīngwúyú

水清无鱼

[水清無魚]

lit. water that is too clean holds no fish (idiom)
fig. one who is too severe has no friends

chényúluòyàn

沉鱼落雁

[沉魚落雁]

lit. fish sink, goose alights (idiom, from Zhuangzi 莊子／庄子 ( Zhuāngzǐ)); fig. female beauty captivating even the birds and beasts

lòuwǎngzhīyú

漏网之鱼

[漏網之魚]

lit. a fish that escaped the net (idiom)
fig. sb or sth that slips through the net

yúxiāngròusī

鱼香肉丝

[魚香肉絲]

pork strips stir-fried with yuxiang 魚香／鱼香 (yúxiāng)

dàyúdàròu

大鱼大肉

[大魚大肉]

dishes with generous amounts of meat and fish
lavish meal

yúshuǐzhīhuān

鱼水之欢

[魚水之歡]

the pleasure of close intimacy in a couple (idiom)
sexual intercourse

zāoliūhuángyú

糟溜黄鱼

[糟溜黃魚]

stir-fried yellow fish filet

diàoyúzhífǎ

钓鱼执法

[釣魚執法]

(law) entrapment

yúlónghùnzá

鱼龙混杂

[魚龍混雜]

lit. fish and dragons mixed in together (idiom); fig. crooks mixed in with the honest folk

zhuójǐnyǐyú

濯锦以鱼

[濯錦以魚]

to make the ugly beautiful (idiom)

xiányúfānshēn

咸鱼翻身

[鹹魚翻身]

lit. the salted fish turns over (idiom)
fig. to experience a reversal of fortune

dàbǐmùyú

大比目鱼

[大比目魚]

halibut

Bàyúquānqū

鲅鱼圈区

[鮁魚圈區]

Bayuquan district of Yingkou City 營口市／营口市, Liaoning

déyúwàngquán

得鱼忘筌

[得魚忘筌]

lit. catch fish then forget the trap (idiom, from Zhuangzi 莊子／庄子 ( Zhuāngzǐ)); fig. to take help for granted

línchuānxiànyú

临川羡鱼

[臨川羨魚]

see 臨淵羨魚，不如退而結網／临渊羡鱼，不如退而结网 (línyuānxiànyú,bùrútuì'érjiéwǎng)

dàmǎhǎyú

大马哈鱼

[大馬哈魚]

chum salmon

zìxiāngyúròu

自相鱼肉

[自相魚肉]

butchering one another as fish and flesh (idiom); killing one another
internecine strife

línhéxiànyú

临河羡鱼

[臨河羨魚]

see 臨淵羨魚，不如退而結網／临渊羡鱼，不如退而结网 (línyuānxiànyú,bùrútuì'érjiéwǎng)

yúguàn'érrù

鱼贯而入

[魚貫而入]

to walk in in a line

ruǎngǔyúlèi

软骨鱼类

[軟骨魚類]

cartilaginous fishes
Chondrichthyes (taxonomic class including sharks and rays)

yúmùhùnzhū

鱼目混珠

[魚目混珠]

to pass off fish eyes for pearls
to pass off fake products as genuine (idiom)

chényúluòyàn

沈鱼落雁

[沈魚落雁]

variant of 沉魚落雁／沉鱼落雁 (chényúluòyàn)

húnshuǐmōyú

浑水摸鱼

[渾水摸魚]

to fish in troubled water (idiom); to take advantage of a crisis for personal gain

èyúyǎnlèi

鳄鱼眼泪

[鱷魚眼淚]

crocodile tears

yúsǐwǎngpò

鱼死网破

[魚死網破]

lit. either the fish dies or the net splits
a life and death struggle (idiom)

xiāhǔyúkē

虾虎鱼科

[蝦虎魚科]

Gobiidae (suborder of perch)

húnshuǐmōyú

混水摸鱼

[混水摸魚]

to fish in troubled water (idiom); to take advantage of a crisis for personal gain
also written 渾水摸魚／浑水摸鱼

yànyǎoyúchén

雁杳鱼沉

[雁杳魚沈]

without news from sb (idiom)

lòuwǎngyóuyú

漏网游鱼

[漏網游魚]

see 漏網之魚／漏网之鱼 (lòuwǎngzhīyú)

zàngshēnyúfù

葬身鱼腹

[葬身魚腹]

lit. to be buried in the bellies of fish (idiom)
fig. to drown

yúguàn'érchū

鱼贯而出

[魚貫而出]

to file out; to walk out in a line

yúmǐzhīxiāng

鱼米之乡

[魚米之鄉]

(lit.) land of fish and rice
(fig.) fertile region
land of milk and honey

línyuānxiànyú

临渊羡鱼

[臨淵羨魚]

see 臨淵羨魚，不如退而結網／临渊羡鱼，不如退而结网 (línyuānxiànyú,bùrútuì'érjiéwǎng)

fǔdǐyóuyú

釜底游鱼

[釜底游魚]

a fish at the bottom of the pot (idiom)
in a desperate situation

dàmáhǎyú

大麻哈鱼

[大麻哈魚]

see 大馬哈魚／大马哈鱼 (dàmǎhǎyú)

yuánmùqiúyú

缘木求鱼

[緣木求魚]

lit. climb a tree to catch a fish (idiom); fig. to attempt the impossible

rúyúdéshuǐ

如鱼得水

[如魚得水]

like a fish back in water (idiom); glad to be back in one's proper surroundings

yúchényànyǎo

鱼沉雁杳

[魚沉雁杳]

lit. the fish swam away into the depths, the goose vanished in the distance (idiom)
fig. to have had no news (of sb who went away); to have lost contact

rényúxiǎojie

人鱼小姐

[人魚小姐]

mermaid
the Little Mermaid

yúyǔxióngzhǎng

鱼与熊掌

[魚與熊掌]

lit. the fish and the bear's paw, you can't have both at the same time (idiom, from Mencius); fig. you must choose one or the other
you can't always get everything you want
you can't have your cake and eat it

zāoliūhuángyúpiàn

糟溜黄鱼片

[糟溜黃魚片]

stir-fried yellow fish filet

qīdàishíbānyú

七带石斑鱼

[七帶石斑魚]

Epinephelus septemfasciatus

lǐyútiàolóngmén

鲤鱼跳龙门

[鯉魚跳龍門]

to make a significant advance in one's career (idiom)
to get one's big break

wěnzuòdiàoyútái

稳坐钓鱼台

[穩坐釣魚臺]

lit. to sit tight on the fishing terrace despite the storm (idiom)
fig. to stay calm in a tense situation

diàoyúshìgōngjī

钓鱼式攻击

[釣魚式攻擊]

(computing) phishing attack

zhāngyúxiǎowánzi

章鱼小丸子

[章魚小丸子]

takoyaki (octopus dumpling), a Japanese snack food

dàlíndámáhǎyú

大鳞大麻哈鱼

[大鱗大麻哈魚]

king salmon
Chinook salmon

fàngchángxiàndiàodàyú

放长线钓大鱼

[放長線釣大魚]

use a long line to catch a big fish (idiom); a long-term plan for major returns

dàlíndámǎhǎyú

大鳞大马哈鱼

[大鱗大馬哈魚]

see 大鱗大麻哈魚／大鳞大麻哈鱼 (dàlíndámáhǎyú)

shuǐqiǎnyǎngbùzhùdàyú

水浅养不住大鱼

[水淺養不住大魚]

lit. shallow waters cannot harbor big fish (idiom)
fig. ambitious, talented people cannot reach their full potential in a small organization

yúyǔxióngzhǎngbùkějiāndé

鱼与熊掌不可兼得

[魚與熊掌不可兼得]

lit. the fish and the bear's paw, you can't have both at the same time (idiom, from Mencius); fig. you must choose one or the other
you can't always get everything you want
you can't have your cake and eat it

bùshìyúsǐjiùshìwǎngpò

不是鱼死就是网破

[不是魚死就是網破]

lit. either the fish dies or the net gets torn (idiom)
fig. it's a life-and-death struggle
it's either him or me

shǒuzhūdàitù,yuánmùqiúyú

守株待兔，缘木求鱼

[守株待兔，緣木求魚]

to guard a tree-stump, waiting for rabbits, and climb a tree to catch fish (idiom); without any practical course of action

sāntiāndǎyú,liǎngtiānshàiwǎng

三天打鱼，两天晒网

[三天打魚，兩天曬網]

lit. to fish for three days and sun-dry the nets for two days (proverb)
fig. not to persevere in doing sth
to do sth by fits and starts

chéngménshīhuǒ,yāngjíchíyú

城门失火，殃及池鱼

[城門失火，殃及池魚]

a fire in the city gates is also a calamity for the fish in the moat (idiom); the bystander will also suffer
fig. you can't escape responsibility for your actions
ask not for whom the bell tolls - it tolls for thee

tàigōngdiàoyú,yuànzhěshànggōu

太公钓鱼，愿者上钩

[太公釣魚，願者上鉤]

Jiang Ziya is fishing, if you want take the hook (idiom, refers to early sage 姜子牙 fishing with no bait and the hook above the water); to put one's head in the noose

rénwéidāozǔ,wǒwéiyúròu

人为刀俎，我为鱼肉

[人為刀俎，我為魚肉]

lit. to be the meat on sb's chopping block (idiom)
fig. to be at sb's mercy

shòuzhīyǐyúbùrúshòuzhīyǐyú

授之以鱼不如授之以渔

[授之以魚不如授之以漁]

give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime (idiom)

shòurényǐyúbùrúshòurényǐyú

授人以鱼不如授人以渔

[授人以魚不如授人以漁]

give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime
knowledge is the best charity

Jiāngtàigōngdiàoyú,yuànzhěshànggōu

姜太公钓鱼，愿者上钩

[姜太公釣魚，願者上鉤]

Jiang Ziya is fishing, if you want it, take the hook (idiom, refers to early sage 姜子牙 fishing with no bait and the hook above the water); to put one's head in the noose

rènpíngfēnglàngqǐ,wěnzuòdiàoyútái

任凭风浪起，稳坐钓鱼台

[任憑風浪起，穩坐釣魚臺]

lit. to sit tight on the fishing terrace despite the storm (idiom)
fig. to stay calm in a tense situation

línyuānxiànyú,bùrútuì'érjiéwǎng

临渊羡鱼，不如退而结网

[臨淵羨魚，不如退而結網]

better to go home and weave a net than to stand by the pond longing for fish (idiom)
one should take practical steps to achieve one's aim

shuǐzhìqīngzéwúyú,rénzhìcházéwútú

水至清则无鱼，人至察则无徒

[水至清則無魚，人至察則無徒]

(idiom) water that is too clear has no fish, and one who is too severe has no friends

yúshēnghuǒ,ròushēngtán,qīngcàidòufubǎopíng'ān

鱼生火，肉生痰，青菜豆腐保平安

[魚生火，肉生痰，青菜豆腐保平安]

fish brings heat, meat brings phlegm, vegetables and tofu keep you healthy