南山有鸟，北山张罗 — “Birds on the South Mountain, nets set on the North Mountain”
南山有鸟，北山张罗 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to use an inappropriate method or strategy, thus failing to achieve the desired outcome; to bark up the wrong tree”. Literally, “Birds on the South Mountain, nets set on the North Mountain”.
南山有鸟，北山张罗 Pronunciation and Pinyin
南山有鸟，北山张罗 Character Breakdown
Example Sentence with 南山有鸟，北山张罗
Origin and Story of 南山有鸟，北山张罗
During the Spring and Autumn period, Ziyu, the daughter of King Fuchai of Wu, fell in love with a talented commoner named Han Chong. Han Chong gave his family heirloom, a purple jade, to Lady Ziyu.
When King Fuchai discovered this, he drove away Han Chong's parents who had come to the palace to propose marriage and forced Ziyu to marry a nobleman. Ziyu died of grief.
Han Chong went to Ziyu's tomb. Ziyu's spirit sang: 'There are birds on the South Mountain, but nets are set on the North Mountain.'
Idioms Related to 南山有鸟，北山张罗
Synonyms of 南山有鸟，北山张罗
More idioms starting with 南
- nán南rén人jià驾chuán船，，běi北rén人chéng乘mǎ马different people have different skills
- nán南guān冠chǔ楚qiú囚a captive or prisoner of war
- nán南běi北dōng东xī西all directions; everywhere
- nán南qù去běi北lái来to come and go
- nán南shān山zhī之shòu寿long life like the South Mountain
- nán南shān山kě可yí移Absolutely firm and unchangeable
- nán南shān山kě可yí移，，pàn判bù不kě可yáo摇An unchangeable, firm judgment
- nán南shān山kě可yí移，，cǐ此àn案bù不dòng动This case is final and unchangeable
- nán南shān山tiě铁àn案a settled and unalterable case
- nán南shān山yǐn隐bào豹wise person living in seclusion
- nán南zhōu州guān冠miǎn冕outstanding talent from the southern region
- nán南zhēng征běi北fá伐campaigning and fighting extensively
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Open the tool →Questions about 南山有鸟，北山张罗
What does 南山有鸟，北山张罗 mean?
南山有鸟，北山张罗 (nán shān yǒu niǎo ， běi shān zhāng luo) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to use an inappropriate method or strategy, thus failing to achieve the desired outcome; to bark up the wrong tree”.
How do you pronounce 南山有鸟，北山张罗?
南山有鸟，北山张罗 is pronounced nán shān yǒu niǎo ， běi shān zhāng luo in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 南山有鸟，北山张罗 literally mean?
Literally, 南山有鸟，北山张罗 means “Birds on the South Mountain, nets set on the North Mountain”. It is used to mean “to use an inappropriate method or strategy, thus failing to achieve the desired outcome; to bark up the wrong tree”.
Where does 南山有鸟，北山张罗 come from?
南山有鸟，北山张罗 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to modern Chinese. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 南山有鸟，北山张罗?
鸟儿在南山，却到北山去张网捕捉。比喻方法不对，无法达到目的