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對牛彈琴. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
對牛彈琴, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
對牛彈琴 in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
對牛彈琴 you have here. The definition of the word
對牛彈琴 will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
對牛彈琴, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Chinese
Etymology
First attested in c. 3rd century CE in the story of the Warring States-era musician Gongming Yi (公明儀) playing the zither to a cow, recorded in Mouzi Lihuolun. Mouzi used this example to illustrate the correct way to explain Buddhism to people with Confucian backgrounds.
公明儀為牛彈《清角》之操，伏食如故。非牛不聞，不合其耳矣。轉為蚊虻之聲、孤犢之鳴，即掉尾、奮耳，蹀躞而聽。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
公明仪为牛弹《清角》之操，伏食如故。非牛不闻，不合其耳矣。转为蚊虻之声、孤犊之鸣，即掉尾、奋耳，蹀躞而听。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]- From: Sengyou, Hongming Ji, c. 5th Century AD
- Gōngmíng Yí wèi niú dàn “Qīngjiǎo” zhī cāo, fú shí rúgù. Fēi niú bù wén, bù hé qí ěr yǐ. Zhuǎn wèi wén méng zhī shēng, gū dú zhī míng, jí diào wěi, fèn ěr, diéxiè ér tīng.
- Gongming Yi played the song Qing Jue to a cow. It continued eating grass as if nothing had happened. was not that the cow did not listen, it was not suitable for the cow's ears instead. He then made noises of mosquitoes, flies, and lone calves, and the cow started wagging its tail, turned its ears, and listened while strolling.
Pronunciation
Verb
對牛彈琴 (chengyu)
- to talk about something that one's listener can not understand or turns a deaf ear to; to talk to a brick wall; to preach to deaf ears
Descendants
Others: