割鸡焉用牛刀

Traditional form:

割雞焉用牛刀

Pinyin (reading):

gējīyānyòngniúdāo

Definitions:

• lit. why use a pole-ax to slaughter a chicken? (idiom)
• fig. to waste effort on a trifling matter
• also written 殺雞焉用牛刀／杀鸡焉用牛刀 (shājīyānyòngniúdāo)

Characters:

• 割 - to cut, to divide, to partition; to cede
• 鸡 - chicken
• 焉 - why? where? how?; strange; thereupon, then
• 用 - to use, to employ, to apply; use
• 牛 - ox, cow, bull
• 刀 - knife; old coin; measure

Traditional characters:

• 割 - to cut, to divide, to partition; to cede
• 雞 - chicken
• 焉 - why? where? how?; strange; thereupon, then
• 用 - to use, to employ, to apply; use
• 牛 - ox, cow, bull
• 刀 - knife; old coin; measure