Chinese idiom · 成语
水清无鱼
Meaning
Clear water holds no fish; perfection lacks life.
Character by character
Origin and story
Classical sayingThe White Tiger Discussions, quoted in the Imperial Readings of the Taiping Era, uses this saying while explaining ceremonial headgear. The hanging beads before a ruler's eyes and material beside the ears are interpreted as reminders not to dwell on wrongdoing or listen to slander. The text pairs water without fish with an excessively scrutinizing person without companions.
Its subject is the limits of fault-finding in leadership and relationships, not water chemistry. The image warns against demanding a degree of purity that leaves no room for ordinary human imperfection. It need not mean abandoning standards or overlooking serious harm; its traditional emphasis is on avoiding relentless scrutiny.
Sources and further reading
In everyday life
水清无鱼，别因为朋友偶尔迟到，就否定他所有的好。
Don't let occasional lateness erase everything good about your friend; demanding perfection can leave you with no friends.
A warning against excessive fault-finding, not an excuse for serious wrongdoing.