諺語 · a single proverb
牛刀小試
Simplified: 牛刀小试
What does 牛刀小試 (niú dāo xiǎo shì) mean?
牛刀小試 (niú dāo xiǎo shì) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "testing a butcher's cleaver on a small task." In use it means: Using a powerful tool or great talent on a minor challenge; an easy test for someone of considerable ability. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Metal note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Ox.
Literally: "testing a butcher's cleaver on a small task."
The reading
The blade was forged for oxen and they gave it a chicken. It cut through without noticing. This is what happens when preparation far exceeds the challenge: the thing is done before the effort begins. Enjoy these moments. They are the reward for all the grinding that came before, and they do not come without it.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Su Shi 蘇軾; originally from Analects allusion to 割雞焉用牛刀
Sits beside
冬至陽生春又來
dōng zhì yáng shēng chūn yòu lái
At the darkest moment of winter, yang energy is reborn and spring begins its return.
夜長夢多
yè cháng mèng duō
Delay leads to complications.
太公釣魚，願者上鉤
tài gōng diào yú yuàn zhě shàng gōu
The best way to attract people is not through trickery but through genuine worth.
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Timing & Fortune's Turning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Ox, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Tiger.
Questions
Is 牛刀小試 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 牛刀小試 (niú dāo xiǎo shì) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Su Shi 蘇軾; originally from Analects allusion to 割雞焉用牛刀. It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 牛刀小試?
In Mandarin it is niú dāo xiǎo shì. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 牛刀小試 aloud in Mandarin.