竭泽而渔

竭澤而漁
jiézééryú
  1. lit. to drain the pond to get at the fish (idiom)
  2. fig. to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs

CEDICT

排尽池湖的水捕鱼。比喻一味榨取，不留馀地。《吕氏春秋．孝行览．义赏》：「竭泽而渔，岂不获得，而明年无鱼。」《淮南子．本经》：「焚林而田，竭泽而渔。」也作「涸泽而渔」。

重編國語辭典

Homographs

竭泽而渔 jiézé'éryú

Entry Composition

1 竭 jié to exhaust
2 泽 zé
  1. pool
  2. pond
  3. (of metals etc) luster
  4. favor or beneficence
  5. damp
  6. moist
3 而 ér
  1. and
  2. as well as
  3. and so
  4. but (not)
  5. yet (not)
  6. (indicates causal relation)
  7. (indicates change of state)
  8. (indicates contrast)
4 渔 yú
  1. fisherman
  2. to fish

Related entries

杀鸡取卵 shājīqǔluǎn
  1. lit. to kill the chicken to get the eggs (idiom)
  2. fig. to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs