水清無魚 shuǐ qīng wú yú

DEFINITIONS

  1. lit. water that is too clean holds no fish (idiom)
  2. fig. one who is too severe has no friends

CHARACTERS

水 shuǐ
HSK 1
water, liquid, lotion, juice
清 qīng
HSK 3
clear, pure, clean; peaceful
無 wú negative, no, not; lack, have no
魚 yú fish; surname; KangXi radical 195