zyu2 hok6 fan4 kam4煮鶴焚琴煮鹤焚琴
Jyutpingzyu2 hok6 fan4 kam4
Yalejyú hohk fàhn kàhm
Definition
To spoil a beautiful thing; to waste valuable resources through ignorance or lack of appreciation.
writtenother
How it's used
This idiom carries a strong sense of regret or indignation regarding the destruction of something aesthetically pleasing or culturally valuable. It is typically used in formal or literary contexts rather than casual conversation, often to criticize someone for lacking appreciation for art or nature. The imagery of burning a zither and cooking a crane highlights the tragic loss of refined beauty for the sake of base utility.
Examples
He sold this antique; it is simply a waste of something beautiful.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a common everyday expression, but it is a literary idiom that sounds quite pretentious in casual settings. It is best reserved for written essays or formal critiques rather than daily speech.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
