买了琵琶没上弦，不能弹買了琵琶沒上弦，不能彈買了琵琶沒上弦，不能彈

bought a pipa but didn't string it: can't play it

Saying俗语俗語

Two-part saying歇后语歇後語 · Rarely used now

Meaning: Means there is nothing that can be said, or one cannot discuss the matter.
Wordplay: 弹 (tán, to play a string instrument) sounds the same as 谈 (tán, to talk).

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Simplified: 买了琵琶没上弦，不能弹
Traditional (Taiwan): 買了琵琶沒上弦，不能彈
Pinyin: mǎile pípa méi shàng xián, bùnéng dàn
Bopomofo: ㄇㄞˇ ˙ㄌㄜㄆㄧˊ ˙ㄆㄚㄇㄟˊ ㄕㄤˋ ㄒㄧㄢˊ，ㄅㄨˋ ㄋㄥˊ ㄉㄢˋ

Written with HSK 7-9 vocabulary, at CEFR level C1.

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