諺語 · a single proverb
殺雞焉用牛刀
Simplified: 杀鸡焉用牛刀
What does 殺雞焉用牛刀 (shā jī yān yòng niú dāo) mean?
殺雞焉用牛刀 (shā jī yān yòng niú dāo) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "Why use an ox-cleaver to kill a chicken?." In use it means: Do not use excessive force or overly powerful methods for a simple task. Match the tool to the job. 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 Rooster.
Literally: "Why use an ox-cleaver to kill a chicken?."
The reading
Overreaction reveals more about the person than the problem. The ox-cleaver works, yes, but it also tells everyone in the room that you cannot tell the difference between a chicken and an ox. Precision is not weakness. It is proof that you understand the scale of what you face. The master uses the smallest adequate tool, not the largest available one.
What kind of proverb it is
Source 《论语·阳货》(Analerta of Confucius, Yanghuo chapter)
Sits beside
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 Harmony, Virtue & Balance, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rooster, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 殺雞焉用牛刀 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 殺雞焉用牛刀 (shā jī yān yòng niú dāo) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from 《论语·阳货》(Analerta of Confucius, Yanghuo chapter). 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 殺雞焉用牛刀?
In Mandarin it is shā jī yān yòng niú dāo. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 殺雞焉用牛刀 aloud in Mandarin.