缘木求鱼

Traditional form:

緣木求魚

Pinyin (reading):

yuánmùqiúyú

Definitions:

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

Characters:

• 缘 - reason, cause; fate; margin, hem
• 木 - tree; wood, lumber; wooden
• 求 - to seek; to request, to demand; to beseech, to beg for
• 鱼 - fish

Traditional characters:

• 緣 - reason, cause; fate; margin, hem
• 木 - tree; wood, lumber; wooden
• 求 - to seek; to request, to demand; to beseech, to beg for
• 魚 - fish