諺語 · a single proverb
井底撈月
Simplified: 井底捞月
What does 井底撈月 (jǐng dǐ lāo yuè) mean?
井底撈月 (jǐng dǐ lāo yuè) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "scooping the moon from the bottom of a well." In use it means: Chasing something impossible through a completely wrong method. The goal is real. The approach is hopeless. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Water note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rabbit.
Literally: "scooping the moon from the bottom of a well."
The reading
The moon in the well is a reflection. It looks like the real thing. You can see it, you can point at it, you can even touch the water. But you cannot lift it out. The person who keeps reaching has confused the image with the object. Step back. Look up. The real moon is overhead.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Buddhist parable; common in Chinese folk usage
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Wisdom & Learning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rabbit, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 井底撈月 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 井底撈月 (jǐng dǐ lāo yuè) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Buddhist parable; common in Chinese folk usage. It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 井底撈月?
In Mandarin it is jǐng dǐ lāo yuè. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 井底撈月 aloud in Mandarin.