杀鸡焉用牛刀shā jī yān yòng niú dāowhy use an ox knife to kill a fowl; why break (/crush) a fly on (/upon) the wheel; why shoot sparrows with artillery; why use a steam-hammer to crack nuts
❍ 杀鸡用不着牛刀，敌人敢上来，我们同心岛民兵包啦！(黎汝清《海岛女民兵》284) The Concord militia is quite capable of dealing with these “visitors.”We don’t shoot sparrows with artillery.
❍ 夫子莞尔而笑曰： “～？”(《论语·阳货》) Well pleased and smiling,he said，“Why use an ox knife to kill a fowl? ” 杀鸡焉用牛刀sha ji yan yong niu daoyou don't use a butcher’s knife or cleaver to kill a chicken 杀鸡焉用牛刀shā jī yān yònɡ niú dāo杀鸡哪用得上宰牛刀。比喻小题不必大做。don’t make a fuss over a trifling matter, take not a musket to kill a butterfly |