猫に小判
Cast Pearls to a Swine
- Japanese: ねこ に こばん neko ni koban
- Literal: Give money to a cat
- English Equivalent: To cast pearls before swine
- Notes: 猫に neko ni (give) to a cat [に shows direction]; A 小判 koban was an oval gold coin used during the Edo period; 豚に真珠 buta ni shinju Pearls to a pig, from the Bible, is also used often and means basically the same thing.
宝石に興味のない人にダイヤモンドをあげても、猫に小判だ。
houseki ni kyoumi no nai hito ni daiyamondo o agetemo, neko ni koban da.
For someone who has no interest in precious stones, even giving him a diamond would be casting pearls before swine.
宝石 houseki—precious stones, gems
興味のない人 kyoumi no nai hito—a person not interested in…
ダイヤモンド daiyamondo—diamond
あげても agete mo—even if (you give him a diamond)
ooohh !! :]