焼け石に水

Japanese

Kanji in this term
焼	石	水
や Grade: 4	いし Grade: 1	みず Grade: 1
kun’yomi

Alternative spelling
燒け石に水 (kyūjitai)

Etymology

焼(や)け (yake, the 連(れん)用(よう)形(けい) (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of the verb 焼(や)ける (yakeru)) + 石(いし) (ishi) + に (ni) + 水(みず) (mizu). Literally "water on a hot stone".

Idiom

焼(や)け石(いし)に水(みず) • (yake ishi ni mizu) 

1. vain attempt due to inadequate efforts; a drop in the bucket; a drop in the ocean