Proverb / Kotowaza
絵に描いた餅
Refers to something that is useless in reality or a plan that is impossible to achieve.
a rice cake drawn in a picture
Quick Answer
Refers to something that is useless in reality or a plan that is impossible to achieve.
- Literal Image
- a rice cake drawn in a picture
- Closest Equivalent
- Castle in the air
- How to Use It
- Used when describing grand schemes that lack a basis in reality or when criticizing plans that are likely to fail because they are not feasible.
Meaning
A rice cake in a painting might look appetizing, but it cannot be eaten. This expression is used to describe grand ideas, visions, or schemes that have no practical value because they cannot be realized or put into practice.
Literal Image
a rice cake drawn in a picture
Equivalent Proverbs
Castle in the air
Refers to unrealistic plans or dreams.
Pie in the sky
Refers to something pleasant that is unlikely to happen.
How to Use It
Used when describing grand schemes that lack a basis in reality or when criticizing plans that are likely to fail because they are not feasible.
Tone
Carries a critical or cautionary nuance regarding the feasibility of a plan.
Examples
彼の計画は壮大だが、絵に描いた餅に終わる可能性が高い。
His plan is grand, but there is a high possibility it will end as a painted rice cake.
夢ばかり語っていても、絵に描いた餅だよ。
Even if you only talk about dreams, they are just painted rice cakes.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
The vocabulary (picture, draw, rice cake) is basic, but the grammatical structure and idiomatic usage are intermediate.
絵
え / e
picture, painting
描いた
かいた / kaita
drew, painted
餅
もち / mochi
rice cake
Usage Profile
Usage note: Ensure the context is about unfeasibility, as it directly questions the value of a plan or idea.
Misread Risk
It does not just mean a 'bad plan'; it specifically targets the gap between how good something looks and its lack of reality.
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Related Proverbs
Origin
A rice cake drawn in a picture cannot be eaten, no matter how delicious it looks. This observation led to the expression being used for things that have no practical use or plans that cannot be realized in the real world.
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Source Note
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