Chinese Conversation · Level 80
91 words
Chinese word
对牛弹琴
Pronunciation
Pinyinduì niú tán qín
Meaning
- idiomplay music to a cow
Example
别在孩子面前对牛弹琴，他们不懂艺术。bié zài hái zi miàn qián duì niú tán qín tā men bù dǒng yì shù
Don't play music to a cow in front of the children; they don't understand art.
More examples
跟不懂的人对牛弹琴只是浪费时间。gēn bù dǒng de rén duì niú tán qín zhǐ shì làng fèi shí jiān
Playing music to people who don't understand is just a waste of time.
Core concept
A valuable message reaches a listener who cannot understand or appreciate it, so the effort produces no response.
Common phrases
跟不懂的人对牛弹琴gēn bù dǒng de rén duì niú tán qín
play music to people who don't understand
对着不懂的人对牛弹琴duì zhe bù dǒng de rén duì niú tán qín
play music to people who don't understand
Similar words
白费口舌bái fèi kǒu shé: Speaking at length to persuade someone without achieving anything.
鸡同鸭讲jī tóng yā jiǎng: An exchange in which neither side understands what the other means.
徒劳无益tú láo wú yì: Work that produces no useful result despite the effort involved.
Definition in Chinese
把有价值、精致或深奥的事物或言语拿给不懂得欣赏或理解的人，结果徒劳无功。bǎ yǒu jià zhí jīng zhì huò shēn ào de shì wù huò yán yǔ ná gěi bù dǒng de xīn shǎng huò lí jiě de rén jié guǒ tú láo wú gōng
Word origin
对牛弹琴 (duìniútánqín, "play music to a cow") comes from a story about Gongming Yi playing refined qin music to a cow that keeps grazing, so the music has no effect.
Usage tips
- In conversation, the idiom often comments on a mismatch between speaker and audience, and it can sound dismissive when aimed directly at the listener.
Other meanings
- cast pearls before swineidiom
- fall on deaf earsidiom
Opposites
- 说到点子上shuō dào diǎn zi shànghit the nail on the headidiom