| 对牛弹琴 |
duì niú tán qín |
lit. to play the lute to a cow (idiom) / fig. offering a treat to an unappreciative audience / to cast pearls before swine / caviar to the general / to preach to deaf ears / to talk over sb's head |
| 对 |
duì |
right; correct / towards; at; for / concerning; regarding / to treat (sb a certain way) / to face / (bound form) opposite; facing; matching / to match together; to adjust / to fit; to suit / to answer; to reply / to add; to pour in (a fluid) / to check; to compare / classifier: couple; pair |
| 牛 |
Niú |
surname Niu |
| 牛 |
niú |
ox / cow / bull / CL:条,头 / newton (abbr. for 牛顿) / (slang) awesome |
| 弹 |
dàn |
crossball / bullet / shot / shell / ball |
| 弹 |
tán |
to pluck (a string) / to play (a string instrument) / to spring or leap / to shoot (e.g. with a catapult) / (of cotton) to fluff or tease / to flick / to flip / to accuse / to impeach / elastic (of materials) |
| 弹琴 |
tán qín |
to play or strum a lute or other stringed instrument |
| 琴 |
qín |
guqin 古琴 (a type of zither) / musical instrument in general |
| 琴 |
qín |
variant of 琴, guqin or zither |