大材小用
大材小用 (dà cái xiǎo yòng) literally means “big talent small use” and expresses “waste talent on menial tasks”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving wisdom and learning.
Also searched as: da cai xiao yong, da cai xiao yong,大材小用 meaning, 大材小用 in english
Waste talent on menial tasks
Pronunciation: dà cái xiǎo yòng Literal meaning: Big talent small use
Origin & Usage
A large (大) timber (材) put to a small (小) use (用). 材 is stock or material, the same character used of a person's calibre, and the metaphor is a carpenter's: a beam cut down to make a peg is not damaged, it is wasted, and the waste becomes invisible once it is done. That is the complaint. Graduates in jobs requiring none of their training, specialists doing administration — and it is said with real irritation, usually by somebody other than the person concerned.
Examples
English: "Assigning a senior engineer to simple data entry is a waste of talent."
Chinese: 让高级工程师做简单的数据录入是大材小用。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about wisdom & learning
楚材晋用
chǔ cái jìn yòng
Recruit talent from rival organization
Learn more →
因材施教
yīn cái shī jiào
Adapt teaching to student abilities
Learn more →
大同小异
dà tóng xiǎo yì
Essentially the same with minor differences
Learn more →
大惊小怪
dà jīng xiǎo guài
Make a fuss about nothing
Learn more →
不可救药
bù kě jiù yào
Beyond hope of redemption or reform
Learn more →
学以致用
xué yǐ zhì yòng
Practical application
Learn more →
聚沙成塔
jù shā chéng tǎ
Small things build achievement
Learn more →
如醉如梦
rú zuì rú mèng
Entranced in dreamlike state
Learn more →
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 大材小用 mean in English?
大材小用 (dà cái xiǎo yòng) literally translates to “Big talent small use” and is used to express “Waste talent on menial tasks”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Wisdom & Learning category.
When is 大材小用 used?
Situation: Assigning a senior engineer to simple data entry is a waste of talent.
What is the pinyin for 大材小用?
The pinyin pronunciation for 大材小用 is “dà cái xiǎo yòng”.