对牛弹琴 duìniú-tánqín literally to play the lute to a cow (idiom)
literally to play the lute to a cow (idiom); figuratively offering a treat to an unappreciative audience; to cast pearls before swine; caviar to the general; to preach to deaf ears; to talk over somebody's head
How to remember 对牛弹琴: 对 correct + 牛 cow + 弹 bullet + 琴 stringed instrument = literally to play the lute to a cow (idiom).
Characters
How it is used
- Idiom, 'to play the lute to a cow' - talking to someone who can't appreciate it, casting pearls before swine: 跟他讲艺术简直是对牛弹琴 (gēn tā jiǎng yìshù jiǎnzhí shì duì niú tán qín) explaining art to him is a total waste of breath.
- Can gently mock the speaker ('I was foolish to try') or the listener; tone is exasperated.
- The wasted-effort audience is the point, unlike 白费力气 (báifèi lìqi) which is just wasted effort generally.