flowers in a mirror or the moon in the water—an illusion; a mirage;beautiful but evanescent dreams ? 一個是水中月，一個是鏡中花。(《紅樓夢》62) One is the moon reflected in the water|The other but a flower in the mirror.
鏡花水月jing hua shui yue
flowers in a mirror or the moon in the water—an illusion
鏡花水月
insubstantial love;infatuation
鏡花水月jìnɡ huā shuǐ yuè
鏡子里的花，水中的月亮。比喻可望而不可及的虛幻景色；也比喻不能從字面上來理解詩所表達的意境。moonlight in the water, an illusion, mare’s nest