かご
籠
　
で
みず
水
　
を
く
汲
　
む

expression, Godan verb

Idiomatic expression.
  1. to bail out the ocean with a teaspoon, to scoop water with a basket.

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
かご
籠
　
で
みず
水
　
を
く
汲
　
む
 籠で水を汲む かごでみずをくむ

Contained Kanji Breakdown

basket, devote oneself, seclude oneself
かご　ロウ　こ.める (Late High School)
bamboo
たけ　チク　たか (1st, N2)
individual, (個 variant)
knife, wrapping enclosure(勹) variant
feathered stick, barb radical (no. 6)
ケツ　かぎ (Kentei 1)
dragon, imperial
リュウ　リョウ　たつ (Kentei Pre-1)
stake, (樁 variant)
stand up, rise, set up
た.つ　リツ　たつ (1st, N4)
kettle lid radical (no. 8)
トウ (Kentei 1)
grass, straw, herbs
to divide
one, one radical (no.1)
イチ　いっ　ひと- (1st, N5)
month, moon
つき　ゲツ　ガツ (1st, N5)
bow, bow (archery, violin)
ゆみ　キュウ　こ (2nd, N1)
three
サン　み　みっ.つ (1st, N5)
water
みず　スイ　み (1st, N5)
draw (water), ladle, scoop
く.む　キュウ　くみ (Kentei Pre-1)
water, water radical (no. 85)
さんずい
reach out, exert, exercise
およ.ぶ　キュウ　おい (Early Jr. High, N1)
from, possessive particle, whereupon
ノ　の　すなわ.ち (Kentei Pre-1, N1)
katakana no radical (no. 4)
ヘツ　えい　よう (Kentei 1)
dot, tick or dot radical (no. 3)
チュ (Kentei 1)