Pressing the snow for oil

Pressing the snow for oil

The Chinese idiom, Pinyin y ā Xu ě Qi ú y ó u, means something difficult to do, or an effort that is not very logical. It comes from journey to the west by Wu Chengen of Ming Dynasty.

Idiom explanation

It's a metaphor for things that are difficult to do, or efforts that are not very logical.

Idioms and allusions

[source] Chapter 28 of journey to the west by Wu Chengen of Ming Dynasty: "never mind, I'm going here to make a fire by drilling the ice, and I'll make a meal by pressing the snow."

Analysis of Idioms

[usage] as object and attributive; used in figurative sentence [synonym] to make a fire by drilling through the ice, to look for a needle in a haystack, and to make an iron tree blossom