画が餅べい

noun

something useless; pie in the sky

Literally 'picture of rice cakes,' used metaphorically for something that looks good but has no practical value or cannot be realized. Often appears in the set phrase 画餅に帰す (to come to nothing).

See also: 画餅に帰す (がべいにきす)

• その計けい画かくは結けっ局きょく画が餅べいに終おわった。

  That plan ended up being just a pie in the sky.

• 彼かれの夢ゆめは画が餅べいに過すぎなかった。

  His dream was nothing more than a castle in the air.