牛刀小试 — “An ox cleaver's small test”
牛刀小试 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to make a tentative display of one's significant talent or skill in a minor task, often as a prelude to greater accomplishments”. Literally, “An ox cleaver's small test”.
Frequency
牛刀小试 Pronunciation and Pinyin
- 牛niú
- 刀dāo
- 小xiǎo
- 试shì
牛刀小试 Character Breakdown
Example Sentence with 牛刀小试
新来的设计师在第一个小项目中就展现出了非凡的创意，这真是牛刀小试。
The new designer showcased extraordinary creativity in their very first small project, truly a tentative display of their significant talent.
Idioms Related to 牛刀小试
Synonyms of 牛刀小试
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
- niú牛tóu头mǎ马miàn面hideous enforcers of evil
Questions about 牛刀小试
- What does 牛刀小试 mean?
- 牛刀小试 (niú dāo xiǎo shì) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to make a tentative display of one's significant talent or skill in a minor task, often as a prelude to greater accomplishments”.
- How do you pronounce 牛刀小试?
- 牛刀小试 is pronounced niú dāo xiǎo shì in Mandarin Chinese.
- What does 牛刀小试 literally mean?
- Literally, 牛刀小试 means “an ox cleaver's small test”. It is used to mean “to make a tentative display of one's significant talent or skill in a minor task, often as a prelude to greater accomplishments”.
- What is the Chinese definition of 牛刀小试?
- 牛刀：宰牛的刀；小试：稍微用一下，初显身手。比喻有大本领的人，先在小事情上略展才能。也比喻有能力的人刚开始工作就表现出才。