Milk The Bull 徒勞無功

我是個奶癡,天天喝很多的鮮奶,今天想起 milk the bull 這英文諺語。

Milk 在此作動詞,意謂搾奶。Bull 是公牛,cow是母牛。在公牛身上搾奶,當然是白費氣力;故比喻徒勞無功。

【例句】

She tried everything to potty train her baby but it was like milking the bull.

她已出盡法教她的小寶寶(嬰兒)戒掉尿片,可是仍然徒勞無功。

You are milking the bull.  He will never join the team.

你不用白費功夫了*,他是永遠不會加入我們隊伍的。

* 注意:You are milking the bull 字面翻譯是「你在白費功夫」,但意思是叫人不要白費功夫。

2 thoughts on “Milk The Bull 徒勞無功”

  1. Similar with one set phrase (cheng yu) in Chinese
    “to play the lute to a cow” (“对牛弹琴”)

    1. 「對牛彈琴」喻對不懂事理的人講道理或言事,milk the bull 可以帶出其意思。但 milk the bull 不限於對人表達浪費脣舌,亦可用作更多的範圍,見上例。

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