緣木求魚

lit. climb a tree to catch a fish (idiom); fig. to attempt the impossible

cause / reason / karma / fate / predestined affinity / margin / hem / edge / along

(bound form) tree / (bound form) wood / unresponsive; numb; wooden

to seek / to look for / to request / to demand / to beseech

surname Yu

fish / CL:條|条[tiao2],尾[wei3]

to guard a tree-stump, waiting for rabbits, and climb a tree to catch fish (idiom); without any practical course of action