| 杀鸡焉用牛刀 |
shā jī yān yòng niú dāo |
don't use a sledgehammer on a nut / aquila non capit muscam |
| 杀 |
shā |
to kill; to slay; to murder; to attack / to weaken; to reduce / (dialect) to smart / (used after a verb) extremely |
| 鸡 |
jī |
fowl / chicken / CL:只 / (slang) prostitute |
| 鸡 |
jī |
variant of 鸡 |
| 焉 |
yān |
where / how |
| 用 |
yòng |
to use; to make use of; to employ / (coverb) with; using / to need; to have to (usu. used in the negative or in questions) / usefulness; utility / (bound form) expense; outlay / (courteous) to eat; to drink / (literary) hence; therefore |
| 牛 |
Niú |
surname Niu |
| 牛 |
niú |
ox / cow / bull / CL:条,头 / newton (abbr. for 牛顿) / (slang) awesome |
| 刀 |
Dāo |
surname Dao |
| 刀 |
dāo |
knife; blade; single-edged sword; cutlass (CL:把) / (slang) (loanword) dollar / classifier for sets of one hundred sheets (of paper) / classifier for knife cuts or stabs / (Internet slang) to bargain; to ask for a small discount (esp. on second-hand marketplaces) |