saat3 gai1 jin1 jung6 ngau4 dou1殺雞焉用牛刀杀鸡焉用牛刀
Definition
Why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut; there is no need to waste great talents or effort on trivial matters.
How it's used
This idiom is a classical allusion often used in modern speech to critique someone for over-preparing or using excessive resources for a minor task. It carries a slightly intellectual or literary tone, so it is more common in professional or slightly formal contexts rather than casual street slang. Using it effectively highlights that the effort being exerted is disproportionate to the outcome.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal instruction about cooking or butchery, but it is purely metaphorical. Avoid using it when you genuinely need a large tool for a large job, as the phrase specifically highlights the mismatch between the tool and the task.
Grammar color guide
Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
