IdiomAnimals
French
FrenchDonner de la confiture à un cochon
Meaning: To waste something fine on someone incapable of appreciating it.
Literally: To give jam to a pig
Example: “Offrir ce grand cru à quelqu'un qui le mélange avec du soda, c'est donner de la confiture à un cochon.” — Giving that fine vintage to someone who mixes it with soda is casting pearls before swine.
English equivalent: To cast pearls before swine
Equivalents in other languages
Japanese: 猫に小判 (Neko ni koban) Literally: A gold coin to a cat
Hindi: बंदर क्या जाने अदरक का स्वाद (bandar kya jaane adrak ka svaad) Literally: What does a monkey know about the taste of ginger?
Arabic: اللي ما يعرف الصقر يشويه (illi ma yaʿrif al-ṣaqr yishwīh) Literally: He who doesn't know the falcon, grills it
Swedish: kasta pärlor för svin Literally: Cast pearls before swine
Russian: метать бисер перед свиньями (metat' biser pered svin'yami) Literally: To cast pearls before swine
English: cast pearls before swine
Origin: The same judgment as casting pearls before swine, with the pig kept and the pearls replaced by something the animal would at least eat. French uses it more often of art and food than of wisdom.
More French idioms
- Mettre le pied à l'étrier à quelqu'un To give someone the help they need to get started.
- Gagner ses éperons To prove oneself and earn recognition.
- Un mauvais coucheur A cantankerous, difficult person.
- Un cordon-bleu An outstanding cook.
- Il y a loin de la coupe aux lèvres Much can still go wrong between intention and result.
- Né avec une cuillère d'argent dans la bouche Born into wealth and advantage.
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