kill a chicken with a butcher 's big knife

kill a chicken with a butcher 's big knife

A Chinese idiom, Ni ú D ā og ē J ī, means to kill a chicken with a knife to kill an ox, which means to use a big talent to kill a small one. It comes from the Analects of Confucius Yang Huo.

Idiom usage

It's just the result of hard work. If you try it in a small way, it's like cutting a chicken with a bull's knife.

Analysis of Idioms

Synonyms: overuse

The origin of Idioms

The Analects of Confucius Yanghuo: "in Wucheng of Zizhi, the sound of string song is heard. With a smile, the master said, "why use an ox knife to cut a chicken?"

Idiom explanation

Kill a chicken with a butcher's knife. It's a metaphor for overuse.