Back to Dictionary
割鸡焉用牛刀
割雞焉用牛刀
gējīyānyòngniúdāo
1. lit. why use a pole-ax to slaughter a chicken? (idiom)
2. fig. to waste effort on a trifling matter
3. also written [[殺雞焉用牛刀|杀鸡焉用牛刀<shājīyānyòngniúdāo>]]

Character Breakdown

割
gē
to cut, to divide, to partition; to cede
HSK 6 12 丶
鸡
jī
chicken
HSK 2 7 丶
焉
yān
why? where? how?; strange; thereupon, then
11 丶
用
yòng
to use, to employ, to apply; use
HSK 3 5 丶
牛
niú
ox, cow, bull
HSK 2 4 丶
刀
dāo
knife; old coin; measure
HSK 4 2 丶

Metadata

Category
Chinese