牛溲马勃 — “Ox urine and horse puffball”
牛溲马勃 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “Seemingly worthless or humble things that can be valuable or useful when properly understood and applied, especially in the hands of an expert”. Literally, “Ox urine and horse puffball”.
牛溲马勃 Pronunciation and Pinyin
牛溲马勃 Character Breakdown
Stroke OrderExample Sentence with 牛溲马勃
Origin and Story of 牛溲马勃
During the Tang Dynasty, the renowned literary figure Han Yu, while serving as Libationer of the Imperial College, often lectured to his students.
He emphasized that 'excellence in studies is achieved through diligence and ruined by idleness; character is formed through reflection and destroyed by thoughtlessness.'
He also urged them to engage in social practice, encouraging them to be inclusive and learn from everything. He famously stated that 'ox urine and horse puffball, even the skin of a broken drum,' all have their uses, thereby encouraging students to strengthen their learning and apply knowledge flexibly.
Idioms Related to 牛溲马勃
Synonyms of 牛溲马勃
Antonyms of 牛溲马勃
More idioms starting with 牛
- niú牛bù不hē喝shuǐ水qiǎng强àn按tóu头You can't force an unwilling person
- niú牛bù不hē喝shuǐ水nán难àn按jiǎo角You can't force a person against their will
- niú牛bù不yǐn饮shuǐ水qiáng强àn按tóu头You can't force an ox to drink
- niú牛zhī之yī一máo毛a drop in the ocean
- niú牛nóng农duì对qì泣impoverished couple weeping together
- niú牛dāo刀gē割jī鸡overkill for a trivial task
- niú牛dāo刀xiǎo小shì试display significant talent in a minor task
- niú牛kǒu口zhī之xià下A humble or inferior position
- niú牛tīng听tán弹qín琴explain profound things to an uncomprehending person
- niú牛tóu头bù不duì对mǎ马zuǐ嘴irrelevant or incongruous
- niú牛tóu头bù不duì对mǎ马miàn面irrelevant answer or complete mismatch
- niú牛tóu头ā阿páng旁ox-headed demon guard of hell
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Open the tool →Questions about 牛溲马勃
What does 牛溲马勃 mean?
牛溲马勃 (niú sōu mǎ bó) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “Seemingly worthless or humble things that can be valuable or useful when properly understood and applied, especially in the hands of an expert”.
How do you pronounce 牛溲马勃?
牛溲马勃 is pronounced niú sōu mǎ bó in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 牛溲马勃 literally mean?
Literally, 牛溲马勃 means “Ox urine and horse puffball”. It is used to mean “Seemingly worthless or humble things that can be valuable or useful when properly understood and applied, especially in the hands of an expert”.
Where does 牛溲马勃 come from?
牛溲马勃 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 牛溲马勃?
牛溲：牛尿，一说车前草，利小便；马勃：可治疮。比喻一般人认为无用的东西，在懂得其性能的人手里可成为有用的物品。