Chinese Idiom of the Day #2 : 对牛弹琴

对牛弹琴 －　Dui Niu Tan Qin

Literal Meaning - Face cow, play (stringed) instrument．

Figurative meaning - Reasoning with Stubborn people or talking to the wrong audience

 Western Equivalent - Presenting a pearl before a swine.

 Story behind idiom:

 In ancient times there was a man who played the zither very well. Once, he played a tune in front of a cow, hoping that the cow would appreciate it. The tune was melodious, but the cow showed no reaction, and just kept on eating grass. The man sighed, and went away. 

: 17 Jan 2007 14:00 |  Tags: Ancient China Chinese Idiom Proverb Saying Wisdom Wise |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem