對牛彈琴

See also: 对牛弹琴

Chinese

		couple; pair; to be opposite couple; pair; to be opposite; to oppose; to face; for; to; correct (answer); to answer; to reply; to direct (towards sth); right	ox; cow; bull	to play certain musical instruments that can be described as, such as some stringed instruments, or a keyboard instrument
trad. (對牛彈琴)		對	牛	彈琴
simp. (对牛弹琴)		对	牛	弹琴
Literally: “playing the zither to a cow”.

Etymology

From the story of the Warring States-era musician Gongming Yi (公明儀) playing the zither to a cow, recorded in Mouzi Lihuolun [circa 3rd century CE].

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): duìniútánqín

(Zhuyin): ㄉㄨㄟˋ ㄋㄧㄡˊ ㄊㄢˊ ㄑㄧㄣˊ
Cantonese (Jyutping): deoi³ ngau⁴ taan⁴ kam⁴
Hakka (Sixian, PFS): tui-ngiù-thàn-khìm
Min Nan (POJ): tùi-gû-tôaⁿ-khîm

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Pinyin: duìniútánqín
  - Zhuyin: ㄉㄨㄟˋ ㄋㄧㄡˊ ㄊㄢˊ ㄑㄧㄣˊ
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: dueynioutarnchyn
  - Tongyong Pinyin: duèinióutáncín
  - IPA ^(key): /tweɪ̯⁵¹ njoʊ̯³⁵ tʰän³⁵ t͡ɕʰin³⁵/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: deoi³ ngau⁴ taan⁴ kam⁴
  - Yale: deui ngàuh tàahn kàhm
  - Cantonese Pinyin: doey³ ngau⁴ taan⁴ kam⁴
  - Guangdong Romanization: dêu³ ngeo⁴ tan⁴ kem⁴
  - IPA ^(key): /tɵy̯³³ ŋɐu̯²¹ tʰäːn²¹ kʰɐm²¹/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: tui-ngiù-thàn-khìm
  - Hakka Romanization System: dui ngiuˇ tanˇ kimˇ
  - Hagfa Pinyim: dui⁴ ngiu² tan² kim²
  - IPA: /tu̯i⁵⁵ ɲi̯u¹¹ tʰan¹¹ kʰim¹¹/
Min Nan
- (Hokkien)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: tùi-gû-tôaⁿ-khîm
  - Tâi-lô: tuì-gû-tuânn-khîm
  - Phofsit Daibuun: duie'gu'dvoa'qiim
  - IPA (Xiamen): /tui²¹⁻⁵³ gu²⁴⁻²² tuã²⁴⁻²² kʰim²⁴/
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /tui⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ gu²⁴⁻²² tuã²⁴⁻²² kʰim²⁴/
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /tui²¹⁻⁵³ gu¹³⁻²² tuã¹³⁻²² kʰim¹³/
  - IPA (Taipei): /tui¹¹⁻⁵³ gu²⁴⁻¹¹ tuã²⁴⁻¹¹ kʰim²⁴/
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /tui²¹⁻⁴¹ gu²³⁻³³ tuã²³⁻³³ kʰim²³/

Idiom

對牛彈琴

like talking to a brick wall; like casting pearls before swine; offering a treat to someone who is unable to appreciate it (because they are uncultured or unromantic)

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (對牛彈琴):

→ Korean: 대우탄금 (對牛彈琴, dae-utan-geum)
→ Vietnamese: đối ngưu đàn cầm (對牛彈琴)

Others:

→ Japanese: 牛 (うし)に対 (たい)して琴 (こと)を弾 (だん)ず (ushi ni tai shite koto o danzu) (calque)
→ Vietnamese: đàn gảy tai trâu (calque)
→ Thai: สีซอให้ควายฟัง (sǐi-sɔɔ-hâi-kwaai-fang) (calque)

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