while on the topic of trees:
there is a fish-related tree idiom
(or rather, a tree-related fish idiom)
緣木求魚
(yuan mu qiu yu, “to climb a tree to find fish”)
The original meaning of 緣 (yuan) was the “hem” of clothing (hence the糸 {mi, silk} radical).
From this comes 邊緣 (bian-yuan, border), and the idea of “to follow” or “go along” (as in 緣法, yuan fa, “to abide by the law”).
Thus 緣木 means “to follow (i.e. go up) a tree”, in this case to seek fish (求魚). This is clearly a waste of time; the meaning of this idiom.
It dates back more than 2,000 years to the text of 孟子 (Meng-zi, The Mencius), attributed to Mencius, one of the main figures in Confucianism.
thanks to The Shad for helping me not to embarrass myself
(yuan mu qiu yu, “to climb a tree to find fish”)
The original meaning of 緣 (yuan) was the “hem” of clothing (hence the糸 {mi, silk} radical).
From this comes 邊緣 (bian-yuan, border), and the idea of “to follow” or “go along” (as in 緣法, yuan fa, “to abide by the law”).
Thus 緣木 means “to follow (i.e. go up) a tree”, in this case to seek fish (求魚). This is clearly a waste of time; the meaning of this idiom.
It dates back more than 2,000 years to the text of 孟子 (Meng-zi, The Mencius), attributed to Mencius, one of the main figures in Confucianism.
thanks to The Shad for helping me not to embarrass myself
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