猫に小判

Japanese

Kanji in this term
猫	小	判
ねこ Grade: S	こ Grade: 1	ばん Grade: 5
kun’yomi		on’yomi

Etymology

Phrase composed of 猫 (neko, “cat, cats”) + に (ni, “to”, directional particle) + 小判 (koban, a kind of traditional gold coin). Literally, “gold coins to cats”.

First cited to a text from 1687.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ne̞ko̞ ɲ̟i ko̞bã̠ɴ]

Idiom

猫(ねこ)に小(こ)判(ばん) • (neko ni koban) 

1. [1687] to give something valuable to someone who does not understand that value: to cast pearls before swine

   Synonyms: 豚に真珠 (buta ni shinju), 犬に論語 (inu ni Rongo), 馬耳東風 (baji tōfū), 馬の耳に念仏 (uma no mimi ni nenbutsu)