ขี่ช้างจับตั๊กแตน

Meaning: To use enormous means for a trivial result.

Language: Thai

Literally: To ride an elephant to catch a grasshopper

Category: Animals

Origin: Mounting Thailand's mightiest animal to chase a tiny insect is the perfect image of wasteful overkill.

More idioms — Animals

• Die Katze im Sack kaufen — To buy something sight unseen and get cheated.
• Dar gato por liebre — To swindle by passing off something inferior as the real thing.
• Tagliare la testa al toro — To settle a matter decisively, once and for all.
• 猫の額 — A very small space, especially of land.
• Водить за нос — To deceive or string someone along.
• Nem que a vaca tussa — No way; under no circumstances.

More Thai idioms

• น้ำขึ้นให้รีบตัก — Seize an opportunity while it lasts.
• ชักแม่น้ำทั้งห้า — To give a long-winded, roundabout justification before getting to the point.
• จับปลาสองมือ — To chase two goals at once and risk losing both.
• ตำน้ำพริกละลายแม่น้ำ — To squander resources for nothing.

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