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HSK 3 Chinese reading practice

对牛弹琴

duì niú tán qín

Playing the Lute to a Cow

A musician performs a beautiful piece for a cow and learns that a message only works when the listener can understand it.

RECOMMENDEDHSK 3
READ4 min
HANZI165
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文化
CULTURE

Know who is listening

对牛弹琴 literally means “playing the qin for a cow.” It describes explaining something to an audience that cannot understand or appreciate it.

Key vocabulary10 words from this story
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阅读理解 · COMPREHENSION

Check your understanding

Answer three questions without looking at the English translation.

01那个人弹琴时，牛在做什么？
02那个人为什么把音乐弹得更响？
03农夫怎样解释牛的反应？
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Chinese idiom guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about 对牛弹琴

What does 对牛弹琴 mean in English?

对牛弹琴 (duì niú tán qín) literally means “play the lute to a cow.” It describes speaking to the wrong audience or explaining something to someone who cannot appreciate it.

When is 对牛弹琴 used?

Use 对牛弹琴 when a message is wasted because it does not suit the listener. For example: Explaining advanced music theory to a toddler felt like 对牛弹琴.

What is the pinyin for 对牛弹琴?

The pinyin pronunciation for 对牛弹琴 is “duì niú tán qín.”