もっ
沐
こう
猴
　
に
　
し
　
て
かん
冠
　
す

expression

Idiomatic expression.
  1. to only look the part (but otherwise be wholly unsuited for it), a monkey wearing a crown.

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
もっ
沐
こう
猴
　
に
　
し
　
て
かん
冠
　
す
 沐猴にして冠す もっこうにしてかんす

Contained Kanji Breakdown

wash
モク　もく.する　あら.う (Kentei 1)
water, water radical (no. 85)
さんずい
tree, wood
き　モク　こ- (1st, N5)
monkey
コウ　さる (Kentei 1)
dog(犬) variant
marquis, lord, daimyo
コウ (9th, N1)
human radical (no. 9)
yu
dart, arrow
や　シ (2nd, N1)
person(人) variant
large, big
ダイ　おお-　た (1st, N5)
one, one radical (no.1)
イチ　いっ　ひと- (1st, N5)
person
ひと　ニン　ジン (1st, N5)
crown, best, peerless
カン　かんむり　か (8th, N1)
wa-shaped crown radical (no. 14)
ベキ (Kentei 1)
trim(刓) variant, round off
beginning, former time, origin
ゲン　もと　ガン (2nd, N4)
two, two radical (no. 7)
ニ　ふた　ふだ (1st, N5)
legs radical (no. 10)
ジン　ニン　がい (Kentei 1)
measurement, tenth of a shaku, a little
スン　す　みき (6th, N1)