豚に真珠

Japanese
Kanji in this term
豚 真 珠
ぶた
Grade: S		 しん
Grade: 3		 しゅ > じゅ
Grade: S
kun’yomi on’yomi
Alternative spelling
豚に眞珠 (kyūjitai)

Etymology

Phrase composed of 豚 (buta, “pig”) +‎ に (ni, directional particle) +‎ 真珠 (shinju, “pearl”), calque of English cast pearls before swine.[1]

Phrase

豚(ぶた)に真(しん)珠(じゅ) • (buta ni shinju) 

  1. (idiomatic) "pearls to swine" → to cast pearls before swine
    Synonyms: 猫に小判, 犬に論語, 馬耳東風, 馬の耳に念仏

Usage notes

The traditional Japanese equivalent is 猫(ねこ)に小判(こばん) (neko ni koban, “gold coins to cats”).

References
  1. Kodansha’s Dictionary of Basic Japanese Idioms, by Jeff Garrison, Kodansha, p. 42
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