割鸡焉用牛刀 in English ge1 ji1 yan1 yong4 niu2 dao1 Meaning

Meanings

  • literally (word for word) why use a pole-ax to slaughter a chicken? (idiomatic expression)
  • metaphorically to waste effort on a trifling matter
  • also written 殺雞焉用牛刀|杀鸡焉用牛刀[sha1 ji1 yan1 yong4 niu2 dao1]

Simplified Characters

割 鸡 焉 用 牛 刀

Traditional Characters

割 雞 焉 用 牛 刀

Pinyin

ge1 ji1 yan1 yong4 niu2 dao1

Literal

Literal explanation, with pronunciation and meaning of each character.

割ge1to cut 鸡ji1fowl 焉yan1where 用yong4to use 牛niu2surname Niu 刀dao1surname Dao