き
木
　
に
よ
縁
　
り
　
て
うお
魚
　
を
もと
求
　
む

expression

Idiomatic expression. From Mencius.
  1. to be unable to accomplish something because one has chosen the wrong method, to ask for the impossible, to look for fish by climbing a tree.

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
き
木
　
に
よ
縁
　
り
　
て
うお
魚
　
を
もと
求
　
む
 木に縁りて魚を求む きによりてうおをもとむ

Contained Kanji Breakdown

tree, wood
き　モク　こ- (1st, N5)
affinity, relation, connection
エン　-ネン　ふち (7th, N1)
thread
いと　シ (1st, N2)
short thread radical (no. 52)
ヨウ　ちいさい (Kentei 1)
little, small
ショウ　こ-　ちい.さい (1st, N5)
feathered stick, barb radical (no. 6)
ケツ　かぎ (Kentei 1)
eight, eight radical (no. 12)
ハチ　や　はっ (1st, N5)
divination
タン (Kentei 1)
pig's head radical variant (no. 58)
ケイ (Kentei 1)
pig, hog, pig radical (no. 152)
シ (Kentei 1)
fish
さかな　ギョ　うお (2nd, N4)
knife, wrapping enclosure(勹) variant
rice field, rice paddy
た　デン　たん (1st, N4)
fire, fire radical (no. 86)
ヒョウ　カ
request, want, wish for
もと.める　キュウ　グ (4th, N3)
one, one radical (no.1)
イチ　いっ　ひと- (1st, N5)
water radical variant (no. 85)
スイ
dot, tick or dot radical (no. 3)
チュ (Kentei 1)