对牛弹琴
Cast pearls before swine
حرفيًا: Toward (对) cow (牛) play (弹) lute (琴)
Use this to describe the frustration of talking to someone who is completely on a different wavelength.
في 15 ثانية
- Explaining something to someone who lacks the capacity to understand.
- A metaphor for wasted effort in communication or teaching.
- Commonly used to express frustration when someone 'doesn't get it'.
المعنى
This phrase describes the frustration of explaining something to someone who just doesn't get it. It is like playing a beautiful song for a cow who would rather just eat grass.
أمثلة رئيسية
3 من 6Venting to a friend about a tech-illiterate relative
我给爷爷解释什么是元宇宙，简直是对牛弹琴。
Explaining the Metaverse to my grandpa is like playing music to a cow.
Complaining about a stubborn colleague
跟他讲道理简直是对牛弹琴，他根本不听。
Reasoning with him is like casting pearls before swine; he just doesn't listen.
Texting a friend about a failed movie recommendation
我推荐了那么感人的电影，他居然睡着了，真是对牛弹琴！
I recommended such a moving movie and he actually fell asleep. What a waste!
خلفية ثقافية
This idiom originated during the Han Dynasty and is attributed to the scholar Mou Rong. It highlights a core Chinese philosophical value: the importance of 'Zhiyin' (a soulmate who understands one's music). Without the right listener, even the most beautiful art becomes meaningless noise.
Don't be the 'Cow'
If someone says this to you, they are calling you unrefined or slow. It is quite offensive if said directly!
The Musical Connection
The `琴` in the phrase refers to the `Guqin`, a seven-stringed instrument associated with high culture and scholars.
في 15 ثانية
- Explaining something to someone who lacks the capacity to understand.
- A metaphor for wasted effort in communication or teaching.
- Commonly used to express frustration when someone 'doesn't get it'.
What It Means
Imagine you are a master musician. You play your heart out for a cow. The cow just keeps chewing. That is 对牛弹琴. It describes a total mismatch in communication. One person is sharing something deep or complex. The other person lacks the interest or ability to understand it. It is not always about being mean. Sometimes it is just about a wasted effort.
How To Use It
You usually use this as a verb phrase. You can say someone is 对牛弹琴. You can also use it to describe your own frustration. It often follows the pattern: 跟 [person] 说话真是对牛弹琴. It implies that the listener is the 'cow' in this scenario. Be careful, as calling someone a cow is usually an insult!
When To Use It
Use it when you feel like you are hitting a brick wall. Maybe you are explaining Bitcoin to your grandma. Perhaps you are talking about fine wine to a toddler. It is perfect for venting to a third party. Use it when the lack of understanding is obvious and slightly absurd. It works well in casual venting sessions with friends.
When NOT To Use It
Do not say this directly to your boss. Unless you want to get fired! It implies the listener is stupid or ignorant. Avoid it in polite company or first dates. It is a very subjective phrase. If you use it too much, you might seem arrogant. It suggests you think you are the 'musician' and others are 'cattle'.
Cultural Background
This comes from a story about a musician named Gongming Yi. He played the guqin for a cow. The cow ignored the melody but reacted to the sound of mosquitoes. This taught people that the audience matters as much as the art. In Chinese culture, it emphasizes the importance of 'knowing your audience'. It is a classic lesson in effective communication.
Common Variations
You might hear people just say 对牛弹琴 as a standalone sigh. There are similar idioms like 白费口舌 which means 'wasting one's breath'. However, 对牛弹琴 is much more visual and famous. It has been a staple of Chinese conversation for centuries. Everyone from kids to scholars knows this one.
ملاحظات الاستخدام
This is a B1 level idiom that is very common in spoken Chinese. While it is 'neutral' in structure, its social application is often 'informal' or 'aggressive' because it insults the listener's intelligence.
Don't be the 'Cow'
If someone says this to you, they are calling you unrefined or slow. It is quite offensive if said directly!
The Musical Connection
The `琴` in the phrase refers to the `Guqin`, a seven-stringed instrument associated with high culture and scholars.
Self-Deprecation
You can use this to describe yourself if you don't understand something: `对我来说，这简直是对牛弹琴` (To me, this is like playing music to a cow).
أمثلة
6我给爷爷解释什么是元宇宙，简直是对牛弹琴。
Explaining the Metaverse to my grandpa is like playing music to a cow.
Uses the phrase to highlight a generational gap in knowledge.
跟他讲道理简直是对牛弹琴，他根本不听。
Reasoning with him is like casting pearls before swine; he just doesn't listen.
Expresses professional frustration when logic fails.
我推荐了那么感人的电影，他居然睡着了，真是对牛弹琴！
I recommended such a moving movie and he actually fell asleep. What a waste!
Used to describe a lack of emotional or aesthetic appreciation.
如果学生不想学，老师讲得再好也是对牛弹琴。
If students don't want to learn, no matter how well the teacher speaks, it's all for nothing.
Reflects on the futility of teaching without engagement.
我们在会议上提了这么多建议，对方却完全没反应，真是对牛弹琴。
We made so many suggestions at the meeting, but the other side didn't react at all. It was a total waste of breath.
Used in a formal context to describe a one-sided dialogue.
跟你谈时尚真是对牛弹琴，你只穿格子衫。
Talking fashion with you is useless; you only wear plaid shirts.
A lighthearted jab at someone's specific lack of interest.
اختبر نفسك
Choose the correct phrase to complete the sentence about a frustrating conversation.
他一点音乐细胞都没有，你跟他谈贝多芬简直是 ___。
`对牛弹琴` fits because the context involves someone lacking 'music cells' (talent/interest).
Which situation best fits the use of `对牛弹琴`?
小明觉得 ___ 就像是对牛弹琴。
Teaching calculus to a cat is the ultimate example of a listener who cannot understand the subject.
🎉 النتيجة: /2
وسائل تعلم بصرية
Formality of 对牛弹琴
Venting to friends or family about someone's ignorance.
跟他说也没用，对牛弹琴。
Describing a situation where communication failed.
这就像是对牛弹琴。
Used in literature or speeches to criticize a lack of understanding.
此举无异于对牛弹琴。
When to use 对牛弹琴
Tech Support
Explaining coding to a toddler.
Artistic Taste
Showing a masterpiece to someone who hates art.
Stubbornness
Trying to reason with someone who won't listen.
Language Barrier
Speaking complex slang to a total beginner.
الأسئلة الشائعة
10 أسئلةYes, it can be very rude if you say it directly to someone. It implies they are as 'dumb' as a cow and cannot appreciate your 'music'.
Technically yes, but it is almost always used metaphorically for people. If you literally play music for a cow, you are just practicing!
The closest equivalent is 'casting pearls before swine.' Both involve offering something valuable to an unappreciative animal.
You usually use it at the end of a sentence like a predicate. For example: 跟他说话是对牛弹琴.
No, it applies to any situation where information or beauty is wasted on the recipient. It could be about math, fashion, or philosophy.
Not really. If you want to be polite, say 我们沟通不畅 (We have a communication gap) instead.
The 'cow' is the person who doesn't understand. The 'musician' is the person speaking or sharing.
Extremely common. It is one of the first 50 idioms most Chinese children learn in school.
Yes, you can say 给他们开会简直是对牛弹琴 if the whole group is unresponsive.
Yes, it often carries a bit of an ego. It suggests the speaker's ideas are 'music' and the listener is just an animal.
عبارات ذات صلة
白费口舌
To waste one's breath.
不可理喻
Unreasonable or impossible to talk to.
鸡同鸭讲
Like a chicken talking to a duck (total miscommunication).
阳春白雪
Highbrow art that few can appreciate.
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