A collection of idioms about cattle

　　There are some idioms about cattle in Chinese that are frequently used daily, whether written or spoken.

　　▲Play the piano against the cow

　　This idiom comes from the Han Chinese Mou Rong's "Lian Huo Lun": "Gongming Yi is the act of clearing the horns of a cow, and it is just like before. It is not a cow and does not listen to it. It is not suitable for its ears." It is a metaphor for reasoning or discussing things with ignorant people. , Or intended to be in vain, or intended to satirize the other party's stupidity and ignorance. It is also used as "anti-niu drum spring". However, modern science believes that playing beautiful classical music to cows can increase their milk production. It seems that "playing the piano to cows" is not entirely useless, but this has nothing to do with the idiom.

　　▲Bull ghost and snake god

　　This idiom comes from Tang Dumu's "Preface to Li He Collection", "Whale mouths go toss, bulls, ghosts and snakes are not enough to be imaginary and absurd." The illusion and grotesque of literary works described by the ghost of the bull head and the god of the snake body is not derogatory. Since then, people have used it as a metaphor for crooked doors and evil ways, and then extended it to all kinds of bad people, which is completely derogatory. This idiom often refers to all kinds of bad people. This is an idiom frequently used in the ten-year "catastrophe". At that time, the house where the "bad guys" were detained or concentrated was called the "cow shed." Now this idiom is not common in both spoken and written terms. It can be seen that the historical changes of some words in Chinese are really not small.

　　▲The old cow broke the car

　　This idiom is somewhere between idioms and colloquialisms. It is often used as a metaphor for being slow in doing things and failing to keep up with the development of the situation. In addition, idioms such as "nine cows and two tigers", "new born calves are not afraid of tigers", "niu heads do not match horse mouths" and "nine cows and one hair" are also often used by people. The meaning is obvious and self-evident.

　　▲The old cow licks the calf

　　This idiom uses the phenomenon that the cow loves its calf and often uses tongue licking as a metaphor for the deep affection of a person's love for his son, and it has a vivid sense of image. This idiom comes from "The Book of the Later Han Dynasty·The Biography of Yang Biao": "Zixiu was killed by Cao Cao, and Cao Jianbiao asked:'How thin is the public?' The opposite said: "Ashamed of the sun, the stone has the foresight, and the old cow is licking the calf. Love. "According to the "Han Shu·Jin Ri Shi Shan Biography", Jin Ri Shi Shan was originally the prince of the Xiu Tu of the Xiongnu. After being captured by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, he worshipped as a horse guard. He was favored and his eldest son, Nong Er, was also beloved by Emperor Wu. But Nong The son was not cautious in the palace, had fornication with the palace people, was met by Jin Rishi alone, and killed his son personally to prevent future troubles, so he was more respected by Emperor Wu. Yang Biao used this story to answer Cao Cao, which is the opposite. He resented Cao Cao for killing his son Yang Xiu, but he had no choice but to answer his words appropriately. This shows the skillful use of language.

　　▲Niu Ding Cooked Chicken

　　Cooking a chicken in a large pot that can cook a cow is obviously overkill and may not be suitable. This idiom comes from "Hou Han Shu·Bian Rang Biography": "The legend says:'Han Niu's tripod is used to cook chicken, juicy is light but not edible, and less juicy is boiled but not cooked." , It is inherently inappropriate."

　　▲Niu Lei Mabo

　　Cow and horse appear in this idiom, but it is not the cow and horse in the Chinese zodiac . Niu Shu, or Niu Yi, is an alias for plantain; Puffball, a type of dung rice, is a fungus born from rotting wood. Both are the most cheap things, but both can be used as medicine to treat diseases, especially things that are useful but not very valuable. This idiom comes from Han Yu's "Jin Xue Jie" in the Tang Dynasty: "Yu Zha Dansha, red arrow and green grass, oxen and horse bob, the skin of the defeated drum, everything is collected, and the one who is ready to use is the good of the doctor." Some people think that. "Niu 溲" is cow urine.

　　▲Niuji with soap

　　The cow and the Maxima eat in the same trough. Cow, here has become synonymous with stupidity. Song Wentianxiang's "Song of Righteous Qi": "The same soap for the ox and the chicken, and the food for the chicken and the phoenix." It is also called "the ox and the phoenix share a prison."

　　▲ Niu Yi cried

　　Or as "Niuyi crying at night", it is a metaphor of sadness and tears due to poor family background. Cow clothing is a cover for cattle to keep out the cold. This idiom comes from "The Book of Han · Wang Zhang Biography". The Han Wang Zhang was poor in his family. He was sick in a cow's clothing. He expected to die. He cried and said goodbye to his wife. His wife encouraged him to make progress and finally made a difference in his career.

　　In childhood, horse horns used hornless cows and long horned horses as a metaphor for things that have lost their truth. The metaphor of a clay cow entering the sea, and the inevitable solution to the clay sculpture of a cow entering the water will never return. Native cattle and wooden horses have their names but no use for the analogy of mud cows and wooden horses. The fish in the hooves, the fish that live in the small puddle stepped out by the hooves, are a metaphor for being in a desperate situation. Wu Niu Chuanyue, it is said that Jiangsu and Zhejiang buffaloes are afraid of heat. It is better to be the head of a chicken than the queen of the cow, which means "I would rather be the head of a soldier than the tail". These idioms are very vivid. Being bullish is a metaphor for taking a leading position in a certain matter; bullying and horse-winding refers to things that have nothing to do with each other, and it’s not related to “winding horses and bulls”. These three-character idioms are also very vivid if used.

Cattle