九牛一毛
九牛一毛 (jiǔ niú yī máo) literally means “one hair from nine oxen”and expresses “a drop in the bucket; negligible amount”.This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: jiu niu yi mao, jiu niu yi mao,九牛一毛 meaning, 九牛一毛 in english
Pronunciation: jiǔ niú yī máo Literal meaning: One hair from nine oxen
Origin & Usage
This idiom comes from a letter written by the great Han Dynasty historian Sima Qian (司马迁) to his friend Ren An. After being castrated as punishment for defending a disgraced general, Sima Qian wrote that his death would be as insignificant as losing one hair from nine oxen - utterly negligible in the grand scheme of things. The phrase emphasizes extreme insignificance through vivid proportion. In modern usage, it describes something trivial compared to a larger whole, often used to minimize losses or contributions.
When to Use
Situation: Losing that small investment was just one hair from nine oxen compared to his total wealth.
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Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
匠心独运
jiàng xīn dú yùn
Apply creative genius; show ingenuity
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独具匠心
dú jù jiàng xīn
Show great ingenuity; have original design
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别具一格
bié jù yī gé
Have unique style; be distinctive
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独树一帜
dú shù yī zhì
Be unique; have distinctive style
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出神入化
chū shén rù huà
Reach supernatural skill level
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得心应手
dé xīn yìng shǒu
Work with great ease; have complete mastery
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驾轻就熟
jià qīng jiù shú
Be very familiar with; handle with expertise
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轻车熟路
qīng chē shú lù
Be experienced; find something easy due to familiarity
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 九牛一毛 mean in English?
九牛一毛 (jiǔ niú yī máo) literally translates to “One hair from nine oxen”and is used to express “A drop in the bucket; negligible amount”. This Chinese idiom belongs to theLife Philosophy category..
When is 九牛一毛 used?
Situation: Losing that small investment was just one hair from nine oxen compared to his total wealth.
What is the pinyin for 九牛一毛?
The pinyin pronunciation for 九牛一毛 is “jiǔ niú yī máo”.
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