draw on butter or carve ice(huà shuǐ lòu bīng)

draw on butter or carve ice

Painting on water and carving on ice, a Chinese idiom, Pinyin is Hu à Shu à L à UB à ng, which means painting on water and carving on ice. It's a metaphor for working in vain. From new theory.

Analysis of Idioms

Painting and painting

The origin of Idioms

Huan Tan's Xin Lun in Han Dynasty: "painting water and carving ice, dispelling with time."

Idiom usage

Used as an object or attribute; used in dealing with affairs.

Chinese PinYin : huà shuǐ lòu bīng