猿えん猴こう月つきを取とる

expression, godan verb (-ru)

overreach and fail; try to grasp the unattainable

A literary idiom warning against attempting something beyond one's ability or station, with inevitable failure. The literal image is of a monkey trying to catch the moon's reflection and drowning.

See also: 猿猴捉月

• 猿えん猴こう月つきを取とるような真似まねはよしたほうがいい。

  You'd better not try something as foolish as a monkey trying to catch the moon.

• 彼かれの計けい画かくは猿えん猴こう月つきを取とるようなものだ。

  His plan is like a monkey trying to catch the moon.