1 lit. chasing the wind and clutching at shadows (idiom); fig. groundless accusations
2 to act on hearsay evidence
搜索枯肠
sōu suǒ kū cháng
1 to rack one's brains (for apt wording etc) (idiom)
搜肠刮肚
sōu cháng guā dù
1 to search one's guts and belly (idiom); to racks one's brains for a solution
撒网捕风
sā wǎng bǔ fēng
1 lit. the wind cannot be caught in a net
2 to waste one's effort (idiom)
螳螂捕蝉
táng láng bǔ chán
1 the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind (idiom, from Daoist classic Zhuangzi 莊子|庄子); to pursue a narrow gain while neglecting a greater danger
螳螂捕蝉,黄雀在后
táng láng bǔ chán , huáng què zài hòu
1 the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind (idiom, from Daoist classic Zhuangzi 莊子|庄子); to pursue a narrow gain while neglecting a greater danger