对牛弹琴,牛不入耳 對牛彈琴,牛不入耳 對牛彈琴,牛不入耳

playing the lute to a cow: the cow doesn't take it in

Saying俗语俗語

Proverb谚语諺語 · In everyday use

Meaning
Speaking to the wrong audience is a waste of breath. Close to 'casting pearls before swine', though it implies the listener cannot understand, not that they are unworthy.
Simplified
对牛弹琴,牛不入耳
Traditional (Taiwan)
對牛彈琴,牛不入耳
Pinyin
duìniútánqín, niú búrù'ěr
Bopomofo
ㄉㄨㄟˋ ㄋㄧㄡˊ ㄊㄢˊ ㄑㄧㄣˊ,ㄋㄧㄡˊ ㄅㄨˊ ㄖㄨˋ ㄦˇ

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

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