đàn gảy tai trâu
Vietnamese
[edit]Etymology
[edit]Probably a calque of Chinese 對牛彈琴 / 对牛弹琴 (đối ngưu đàn cầm); literally "playing a musical instrument for a water buffalo"
Pronunciation
[edit]- (Hà Nội) IPA(key): [ʔɗaːn˨˩ ɣaj˧˩ taːj˧˧ t͡ɕəw˧˧]
- (Huế) IPA(key): [ʔɗaːŋ˦˩ ɣaj˧˨ taːj˧˧ ʈəw˧˧]
- (Saigon) IPA(key): [ʔɗaːŋ˨˩ ɣa(ː)j˨˩˦ taːj˧˧ ʈəw˧˧]
Noun
[edit]- (idiomatic) talk to a brick wall (a situation where you say something to someone and they simply would not listen or pay attention)